


All You Need is Amnesty

by Cake_Raptor



Series: It smells like disaster [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Aftercare, Alien Sex, Alien/Human Relationships, Anal Sex, Bisexual Disaster Eddie Brock, Blow Jobs, Bondage, Bottom Eddie Brock, Breathplay, Come Eating, Consentacles, Eddie and Venom are both idiots, Eddie and Venom have no sense of self-preservation, Eddie hates going to the doctor, Established Relationship, Fluff, Karaoke, Kink Negotiation, Light Dom/sub, Other, Plot With Porn, Shower Sex, Size Kink, Size Queen Eddie Brock, Smut, Sounding, Spitroasting, Tentacle Sex, Top Venom Symbiote (Marvel), Wall Sex, symbrock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2020-12-27 22:10:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 24,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21126053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cake_Raptor/pseuds/Cake_Raptor
Summary: Eddie and Venom wake up in the Avengers Compound. Can they avoid becoming prisoners or will Eddie's mouth get him into trouble yet again? Finished!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Woo! I'm back! I've got this one all pre-written and I'm working on the next sequel. I'm not sure how long that one will take as it will be more complicated than other stories I have written. I hope you enjoy it!  
I'm trying to fit this in between Thor: Ragnarok and Infinity War, but I'm going to be bending some things so it won't exactly follow canon.  
The title comes from the Fair to Midland song 'Rikki Tikki Tavi'. I'm pulling all the titles from their songs.

Chapter 1

“We can’t be in the Avengers Compound!” Eddie Brock cried, still struggling against Venom’s bonds.

** We are, Eddie.** his other replied reasonably.  **Calm down. You are still weak.**

Eddie seemed past having things explained to him; his heart was pounding wildly and he gasped for breath. His struggles against Venom turned spasmodic. Stress hormones flooded through his veins, bitter and acrid.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay!” Bruce Banner said, taking a step forwards. “No one is going to hurt you here! Just take some deep breaths.”

“I… I… Can’t…” he wheezed, eyes rolling.

“He’s having a panic attack.” said the nurse.

With a sigh in his head, Venom flowed out of his skin and wrapped him up. Now instead of a frantic, ill-looking man lying in the hospital bed, there was a seven and a half foot black alien.

Banner didn’t move, though his eyebrows climbed towards his hairline. The nurse backed a few steps away.

Venom grinned at them and swung their feet over the edge of the bed to sit. They looked incongruous there, hunched amongst state of the art medical equipment.

“Is that a good idea?” Banner asked. “He’s still panicking. Can he hear us in, uh, you?”

** “Eddie is already calming down. Feels safe in us. Can see and hear everything and more.”**

“Oh, good.”

The frantically beeping equipment began to slow. The gentle pressure of the symbiote all around him was soothing. For good measure, Venom soaked up some of the stress hormones.

** See, Eddie? Safe. Safe with me. Won’t let them hurt us.** they replied silently.

_ Thanks, love. That’s a hell of a thing to wake up to. _

Banner swung his arms a little and said, “So, yeah. Eddie-”

** “Venom. Together we are Venom.”**

“Okay, Venom, so Agent Ferguson had you brought here. You were suffering organ failure from something, um, Venom did to save both of you. We put you on dialysis and a few other things to stabilize you. I guess that was enough for your symbiote to heal you because by all rights, you should not have functioning kidneys anymore. No one here is going to imprison you. Once you're closer to your baseline, we’d like to do the basic tests required for the Sokovia Accords, get a power analysis done and all that, finish up your report from taking down that gang and then we will fly you back home.”

_ That’s it? _

** That is all he said he would do before. Can trust Banner. He has an other too.**

_ I don’t like the idea of tests, babe. What if they try and separate us? If they do the tests they’ll know what will hurt us. _

** They already know, remember? Ferguson had that sound device. Learned from the Life Foundation. Haven’t used it yet and they could have when we were still sick. Anything gets weird and we will leave. We are fast and strong. Be hard to stop us.**

_ Okay. _

** “Can we get some food? Hungry! Took a lot of energy to heal Eddie back up again!”** Venom boomed.

“We’ll bring you some right away.” replied the nurse.

** “Don’t want to stay in this room anymore. We are bored of it. We would like to see this place.”**

Venom stood up. The flesh of their arm wormed and the IV and heart monitor fell out. The equipment immediately started screaming.

Venom yowled, their outline shivering. They dropped to their knees, clutching their head, though it didn’t help.

** “It hurts!”**

The nurse rushed forwards to turn off the squalling equipment, but before she got there, a tentacle swung out and smashed it. Mercifully, the sound expired. Thousands of dollars worth of equipment sparked sadly.

** “That’s better. Nasty sound.”**

“Oh boy.”

A couple hours later, Eddie and Venom were showered, fed and dressed in a set of SHIELD sweats. Eddie still felt shaky, like you do after a long illness, but was feeling better by the minute as Venom got to work fixing him up. They had a tag clipped to their shirtfront with their information, a photo and ‘Guest, Clearance Level C’ on it. They were getting a small tour of the Avengers Compound. It seemed like a pleasant enough place. It was nicely landscaped, everything unbelievably green, except for a round brown patch of lawn that a scowling gardener was scattering fresh grass seed over. It was clean and very modern, bustling with SHIELD employees and Stark employees both.

In the distance, at the entrance of the main building was a group of kids on a fucking tour, of all things.

“Do we meet up with them?” Eddie asked jokingly.

“What?” asked their tour guide, a shockingly young man named Miguel, looking around. “Oh, no. All school groups and news agencies only go as far as the foyer or the conference room in the main building. There’s plenty to keep them occupied there.”

“Look at us, babe. We get the full tour. Bet other journalists would give their front teeth for the chance.”

Venom purred, fluttering around his heart. Eddie rubbed his chest.

“Well, not exactly. You’re only ‘C’ clearance. That means there are a few places you’re not allowed. SHIELD is ‘B’ level and only the Avengers, a few SHIELD higher ups and a few people Mr. Stark decides to allow in have ‘A’ level clearance.”

They approached a long building.

“This is the hanger where the Quinjets, warehouse and the armory are. SHIELD employees have their barracks inside as well.” Miguel said as they walked briskly.

“Can we go in?” Eddie asked.

“Afraid not. That’s ‘B’ level and the hanger is ‘A’ level most of the time.”

“Most of the time?”

“Mr. Stark sometimes decides to lower the clearance level.”

Eddie raised his brows. “Uh huh.”

Miguel’s lips tightened. “This is Mr. Stark’s facility and he can do as he sees fit. He’s run a successful business for decades.” he said a little defensively.

Eddie smirked. “Just seems like a bad idea to do that. To us, that sounds like a nice, big gap in security. Someone could exploit that.”

“Mr. Stark is allowing SHIELD to be here and unfortunately, if we have disagreements on security, we must follow his wishes in the end.”

Eddie didn’t say anything more, tucking that bit of information away in his brain for a future article. Miguel seemed happy to drop the topic as well.

They kept walking.The hanger was a very long building, so this took some time.

“Here we have the exercise, training, rehabilitation and pool rooms. The hospital you were in is here too. Over there is where the private rooms are. Dr. Banner has rooms there and you’ll be staying there too. Avengers get the top floor and guest apartments and officer’s quarters are on the levels below. Last but not least, there is the cafeteria. It’s open twenty-four hours a day but it’s staffed only between six AM and eight PM. There are plenty of snacks kept in stock during the night though. Every meal there has a meat and vegan option and a salad bar.”

“Good to know.” replied Eddie. “We get peckish late at night sometimes.”

“Above the cafeteria is the lounge and bar. On Saturday nights we do karaoke.”

Eddie put his head to one side and frowned. “Is a bar a really good idea with super-powered people? Like, Dr. Banner seems very nice but what if he gets liquored up and the Hulk comes out? Drunk Hulk running around? Yikes.”

Miguel replied, “I can’t speak for what Dr. Banner does, but it’s important for people to be able to cut loose once in a while. We trust that people are mature enough to keep to reasonable limits when they drink. Besides, better out here than around civilians, right?”

“I guess.”

“So, that’s our tour. I’ll show you to your rooms so you can relax. Dr. Banner wants to begin the process of testing your abilities in a few days so you have ample time to recover. The day after tomorrow in the afternoon, you will write your report up on the Malizia business. It will be in office two at three o’clock. Please be punctual. I’m sure we will see each other again during your stay. Nice meeting you.”

“Oh goody.” Eddie muttered sarcastically.

** Don’t like scientists, but maybe we can trust Banner? He knows what it is like to have people poke and prod and test.**

Eddie grunted as they trudged to the private rooms.

They turned out to be fairly spacious and, of course, nice. The quarters they were given were almost as big as their apartment back in San Francisco. They were decorated with Scandinavian cozy minimalism, like what Ikea promised your tiny space could be but never was. It was open concept, except for the bathroom. There wasn’t really a kitchen, but there was a bar fridge, kettle, french press and microwave.

Everything was decorated with a palette of gray, cream and red. Eddie walked past the couch on his way to the kitchenette, fingering a plaid polar fleece blanket tossed over the back.

** Soft.**

Inside the fridge were bottles of water and pop. He pulled out a water and cracked it open, chugging it back in one go. Panting a little, he swiped his wet lips against the back of his hand and placed the bottle on the counter. He poked through the cupboards. There was coffee, tea and hot chocolate packages, some sugar and no-cal sweeteners, a few snacks and…

** Chocolate!** Venom exclaimed in excitement.  **Eat one now!**

“Ooh, they splurged on this, babe.” Eddie replied. “I remember this chocolate shop from when I lived in New York. The only time I went in was when Anne and I were just dating. I got her a box of chocolates. Took most of that week’s grocery money. She liked ‘em though.”

He slit the paper wrapper with his thumb and unwrapped it. The foil beneath crinkled expensively and released the delicious scent. He took a bite, allowing the smooth chocolate to melt on his tongue. It was 70% dark chocolate, a pleasing balance between sweet and bitter, perfumed with vanilla.

Venom hummed in pleasure, tendrils curling as Eddie savoured the bar.

** This is very nice.** his other commented as they finished snooping through the rooms. They had discovered that SHIELD had brought all his Daniel Veleno stuff, but not the small bag of personal items. It was either still in San Francisco or being examined in some lab somewhere. He made a mental note to reformat his hard drive and wipe his phone if he got them back.

“It is nice. They spoil us. Our own shithole is going to be so disappointing now.”

** Still ** ** _ours_ ** **. This isn’t ours.**

“Nope. Definitely not, babe. Still…” He felt a twinge of guilt and sadness run through him.

** What’s wrong, Eddie?**

“I wish I could do better for you. We live in a drafty, damp apartment with cockroaches under the fridge and rats in the walls. It’s got shit locks and stinks like pot from fucking Ziggy. Come out, please.”

Venom spooled out from his chest and let Eddie cradle their head in his hands.

“You are perfect and beautiful and deserve so much better. I feel like an absolute fuck up.”

** “Eddie. ** ** _You_ ** ** are perfect. I don’t care where we live as long as it is with you. I have lived thousands of years and had countless hosts and none have been as good a match or as sweet as you.”** Venom rumbled.

Eddie pressed a kiss to his other’s forehead. He swallowed against a lump that had grown in his throat.

** “I betrayed my own species for you. I don’t care that you used to be famous and have a fancy condo. We are one and that is all that matters.”**

Eddie sniffed and clutched Venom closer like a drowning man to debris. He was feeling a little overwhelmed by everything today.

** “Besides, I like the rats and cockroaches. Tasty snacks in the night.”**


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the amazing comments so far! I love them so.  
I think I have decided that I will add some tags as I go to avoid some spoilers.

Chapter 2

Eddie turned and twisted in front of the bathroom mirror the next morning, shirt tucked up under his chin. He frowned at himself. He’d definitely lost weight. He had noticed it before, but this was the first time he’d been able to get a good look at himself. His muscles had new definition to them since most of the body fat that had smoothed them was gone. They were shrunken too, but not as much. His skin was a little looser than normal from losing all the weight when Venom healed him after that desperate night.

** We will put it all back and have you looking just as you were. Beautiful, soft, strong Eddie.**

“Good. I don’t like this. I feel wrong. I look like I’m a bodybuilder trying to cut before a show. It’s gross.”

** What if we find the gym and start? Lots of food here. Should be able to get us back to normal in a few days then. Banner said he wanted us as close to normal as possible for the tests. Then we can go back home.**

“Sure…” He pulled his t-shirt back down and walked out of the bathroom to the bar fridge, grabbing a bottle of water. He made sure his ID was clipped to his shirt and left. Eddie moved a little tentatively through the hall to the elevator and then across the grassy lawn.

“It feels really weird to just be wandering around the Avengers Compound. I swear that they’ll change their mind and have their goons jump all over us.”

Venom chuckled a little, but didn’t say anything. Instead they hugged him tight.

The gym was absurdly state of the art. Everything gleamed, all the equipment was precisely placed. There would be no dude bros leaving plates all over the floor and chalky handprints on everything. In three quarters of the gym was normal equipment, but on the rear wall, behind a yellow line, was the special stuff. These were for the enhanced individuals. Their guide, Miguel, had explained that it was originally built for Steve Rogers but now any other people with enhanced strength used it. SHIELD also used the special gym equipment for testing powered individuals for the Sokovia Accords.

There were comically oversized plates made not of iron, but lead coated in iron. There was a treadmill that could reach ludicrous speeds and cable machines that looked to be made out of bridge materials. A heavy duty punching bag that was  _ still _ repaired with duct tape hung in a corner.

Eddie steered clear of those for now. When they got tested, he and Venom would be using those.

He moved through his warm-up, feeling his muscles loosen.

** Feels good, Eddie.**

He decided to do bench presses right now. With Venom and now in a place where no one could judge, they could work out as long as they liked without looking weird. Eddie decided to go as long as they could before they got too hungry. He’d eaten an enormous breakfast and had several snacks so they had a fair amount of fuel in the tank.

He put on his normal starting weight, then changed his mind and took fifteen pounds off. He wasn’t sure how much muscle mass he’d lost. He moved through his first set with a little more difficulty than usual. The middle set went about the same, but on his last set he found he couldn’t get it back off his chest.

“Oof! Fuck! Come on, you fucker!” Eddie snarled trying to force it up, muscles quivering.

** Here, Eddie. You did so well.** Venom rumbled, emerging from his skin to tenderly wrap around his arms.

“I’ll help you!” someone boomed. They reached Eddie at about the same time as Venom hoisted the barbell back up onto the rack with a clunk. “Oh, you’ve got it.”

Eddie sat up to see the most absurdly pretty man he had ever witnessed. He was built like a brick shit-house but moved with confidence and grace. He had a neatly trimmed blonde beard, close-cropped blonde hair and one bright blue eye. The other was hidden behind a black eye-patch. He had an expression of guileless good humour on his chiseled face.

Though the haircut was different and the eye-patch was new, Eddie knew exactly who this newcomer was. It was Thor, god of thunder himself.

Eddie hurried to stand up and introduce himself but found his tongue had laminated itself to the roof of his mouth.

“Hello,” Thor said. “And who might you be? Are you a new Avenger?”

He tried to talk through his dry mouth, stomach fluttering with butterflies. Instead, Venom emerged.

** “Hello, Thor. We are Venom and this is my host, Eddie. He appears to be having some difficulty.”** They grinned widely.

Eddie’s nervousness bloomed into embarrassment.

“A Klyntar!” Thor exclaimed, “What are you doing on Midgard?”

** “It is a long story. You know what I am?”**

“Oh yes. Your kind are worthy opponents. I have fought many a pitched battle against your kind.” The big man grinned, no malice in his expression.

** “I am sure they put up an excellent fight.”**

Eddie unstuck his tongue from his mouth, “Klyntar?”

** “Yes.”**

“How come you never told me what you are?” Eddie asked.

** “It never came up. Symbiote or your other works just fine for me.”**

“How about parasite?” Eddie muttered. Venom narrowed their eyes.

Thor grunted thoughtfully, putting his head to one side. “You aren’t like the other Klyntar I have met. Those others did not allow their hosts any control.”

** “I am a loser and traitor among my people because I am not like them. I decided to stay here with Eddie because he is also a loser.”**

“V!” the aforementioned loser hissed “Really?”

** “Called me a parasite.”**

Thor reached out and clapped Eddie on the shoulder, chuckling. It felt like being smacked by a shovel. He rocked on his feet from the blow.

“Are you two here long?” the God of Thunder asked, leaning against a squat rack and crossing his arms.

Eddie tried to avoid staring at the way it made his arm muscles bulge.

“Uh, a little while. We, uh, got discovered not too long ago and SHIELD wants us to get evaluated and registered before we’re allowed to go back home.”

“Huh. I never had to do that. I was away for a little while and when I came back, I discovered that Tony and Steve were not speaking. I suppose that the situation must be related.”

“Uh, Mr. Rogers has been accused of treason. It’s a bit more serious than that.”

Thor shrugged, which did interesting things to his shoulders. Eddie felt a familiar stirring in his pants.

Venom snickered in Eddie’s head, giving him a sidelong look.

“You wouldn’t believe the family squabbles I have been in. This is small in comparison. Hah.”

“So… Are you, are you here long?” Eddie asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Not too long. Banner and I are here to help set up a place for my people to live. I left Valkyrie and my brother in charge while I am gone.”

“What happened? I thought you lived on As... Asgard.” Eddie asked, frowning.

Thor shifted slightly, looking uncomfortable, sorrow passing over his face like sheet lightning. “Uh. It’s… Gone.” He waved his hands vaguely. “Basically, to kill our sister, who was the worst, Loki and I set Ragnarok off and destroyed Asgard.”

Eddie winced.

“We’re so sorry to hear that.”

Thor shrugged again, sucking in a deep breath. “My people are alive and that is what counts. Asgard is in her people, not the land.” He blew the breath out explosively through his nose.

** “We need to continue our work out. We could spot each other?”** Venom asked, trying to divert the conversation away from its depressing turn.

“Of course.” the big blonde man said.

They chatted companionably as they exercised. When they took their turn to spot Thor, Venom had to come out entirely to be able to help shift some of the weights. Thor was immensely strong. Stronger than them, which was sobering. Even fighting against Angelo, enhanced though he was, Venom was still stronger.

It turned out that Thor was far from the stoic, noble and slightly dim man that he seemed to be on the news; he had a dry wit and despite his minimal understanding of Earth customs, was quite sharp.

They finished up and moved to do their cool-down.

Thor left to hit the showers right away. He was one of those guys that never bothered with stretching apparently. Eddie wondered how important actually exercising was for him. The guy was literally thousands of years old and had been worshiped as a god.

** Come on, Eddie. You can do it. I know you can.** Venom purred as Eddie struggled to touch his toes.

Eddie wobbled and the symbiote shot out a tentacle to brace him. He straightened up and then sat down before changing his mind and lying flat on his back.

“I know I can do it too. I just feel kind of dizzy.” He closed his eyes.

** Getting hungry. Yes. We suppose that just this once, we can skip stretching. Shower first, then food.**

They had missed lunch, but that was fine. There were plenty of options for them in the cafeteria anyways. There was a whole cooler of sandwiches, plates of cut up vegetables, cheese and meat. There were bowls of fruit and heated carafes of soup. In another cooler was a display of drinks and desserts. Eddie took a tray and loaded it with three sandwiches, a bowl of soup filled to the brim, a plate piled with bread and cheese and a cup of coffee.

They wolfed the lunch. Everything was very tasty, maybe because they were so hungry, maybe because everything was high quality and well-made. He didn’t think Tony Stark would cheap out on food when he had this extravagant place.

For dessert they had a piece of chocolate cream pie and three cookies.

While they had their lunch a couple people came in to grab snacks but no one said anything. Eddie had to be careful normally and not eat nearly as crazily as he wanted to most of the time since people gave him weird looks. This led to him sometimes stopping for an additional bite to eat after he’d already eaten with whatever contact or acquaintance he’d been meeting with.

As they walked back to their rooms, Venom was partially out, twining tendrils lovingly around Eddie. He kept expecting that someone would see and scream but literally no one even batted an eye. Their eyes would flick to his ID card, understanding would pass over their face and that was it. It felt strange but wonderful that he could wander around here with his symbiote out for all to see and no one really gave a fuck.

He had a small slightly goofy grin on his face as they walked down the hall to their rooms. His hand was wrapped in Venom like he was holding their hand.

Venom was quiet for a while as Eddie watched TV. They were busy digesting and building muscle, finishing up what they had started as Eddie worked out. They swept through his veins and arteries, caressed his muscles, fixing the tiny tears in them and moved on. They had no time to build up his fat layer yet. Every bit of extra fuel went to building his muscles back up again. Venom didn’t actually care what Eddie looked like, but the weight loss distressed their Eddie, so they would fix him back to where he had been before. They personally didn’t understand why someone would be distressed by their appearance, but then again, their own appearance was endlessly mutable. Perhaps humans got used to looking one way. They didn’t know, but they would do anything to make Eddie happy.

Once Venom was done fixing Eddie they lurked for a while in his chest, soothed by the strong beats of his heart.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a bonus update, since it's my birthday.  
TW: Basically this entire chapter is smut; there isn't really anything super important plotwise.

Chapter 3

**Eddie.**

“Yes, love?” he asked, slightly absently. His wrists tingled as some of Venom flowed out around them, making him think of his bracelets, back in San Francisco along with pretty much everything else of his. He missed their comforting weight and rattle. He brought a tendril to his lips and kissed it.

**You were staring at Thor earlier today.**

He shrugged. “Well, yeah. It’s not every day you see a literal god just hanging around doing ordinary things.”

**You were ** ** _staring_ ** **.**

“Uh, yeah?”

Venom suddenly twisted his arms back up behind him tightly. Eddie squeaked as the position made his back arch and his chest protrude.

**He gave you a semi.** Venom purred wickedly.  **Kind of like right now.**

Eddie panted, “Uh… Uh… Sorry babe? I’ve… I’ve just always had a thing for blondes. Well, blondes and gooey black aliens. You’re the only one for me though .”

**That’s right Eddie. You are ** ** _mine_ ** **. ** Venom took control of Eddie’s legs, pulling him off the couch and onto his knees. Venom grew something like a hand tipped in claws and began to slowly, slowly slit the front of the t-shirt he was wearing. Eddie shivered, feeling the vibrations from the claw snicking through the fabric going straight to his nipples. His cock was tenting the front of his sweat pants, having gone from semi-erect to hard enough to pound nails the instant Venom brought him to his knees.

“I’m sorry I made you jealous, V, I didn’t mean to.”

Venom chuckled darkly, manifesting a head.  **“Oh, Eddie… You didn’t make me jealous. I already know that you are mine forever.”** The symbiote twisted inside him, curling around his organs like a snake.  **“Just thought you would need a reminder. Perhaps a little… Punishment.”** The shirt lay in two halves over Eddie’s chest, so Venom started work on his pants.

“Oh please babe, yes.” he begged. “I deserve it. Please punish me.”

Eddie’s breath caught in his throat as his other’s claw tips brushed his ass as they slowly destroyed his clothes. He never let Venom do this back home since he couldn’t afford to replace his clothes too often. There was a wet spot of pre-cum on his pants. Venom licked a stripe up his neck, ending at his ear, curling their tongue around the shell a moment. He shivered.

Industrious tentacles pulled off the shredded remains, leaving the tightly bound Eddie naked on the floor.

Venom hummed in appreciation, looking over beautiful Eddie, muscles in delicious tension, nipples pink and hard, cock standing erect and flushed red. His green-blue eyes were hooded, pupils blown dark. He licked those impossibly full lips, then bit them. He was so perfect like this, so in love with being dominated.

Venom moved in to kiss him, Eddie moaning softly around the powerful, clever tongue. The symbiote fucked his throat with their tongue a few moments, until Eddie’s body began to fight the large intrusion and lack of oxygen. He would never suffocate, not really. Venom could bring him all the oxygen his body needed, but there were some deep instincts the human body had that could not be easily overridden.

The symbiote grew another tentacle from Eddie’s back, worming it down in the crack of his ass, rubbing at his sensitive entrance. Eddie moaned happily again, shifting his knees further apart. Venom kept him occupied as another long tendril snaked out and disappeared into the bathroom.

SHIELD had helpfully dropped off their bag of toiletries too. Venom retrieved the bottle of lube that tended to stay with Eddie’s stuff most of the time. Just in case the mood struck them.

They slicked up a new tentacle and pressed that one inside him in one smooth movement. They kept it a little bigger than usual. They were punishing Eddie, after all.

He gasped, arching his back further. “Holy shit, V. Oh my  _ god _ , you feel so big…”

**“Eddie! What did I say about that?”**

“Oops.”

**“I am the only god you need.”**

“Fuck, shit, sorry sorry sorry… Ohhh…. FUCK!” he babbled as the tentacle grew into a thick plug. The stretch was a sharp, sweet pain that jolted directly to his throbbing cock. The plug applied just enough pressure to his prostate to be maddening. He groaned and squirmed a little. It was dancing the line between pleasurable and too painful.

**“Hope you’re comfortable, Eddie.”**

“W-why, Venom?”

**“Because you are going to be here a while.”**

“Wait, what?”

They flowed out over his eyes, blind-folding him. Then they grabbed the TV remote and changed the channel to the Food Network.

There was a Chopped marathon on, so they watched a few episodes of that while Eddie squirmed and whined on the floor. They would nudge his prostate with the plug every once in a while when his erection flagged a little. When Eddie’s hole grew used to the size of the plug they had made for him, they grew it a little bigger, keeping that pleasurably uncomfortable stretch and burn going.

Eddie started begging to be fucked after the first episode, so they gagged him for good measure, filling his mouth with a thick sphere of themself, keeping his jaw apart and his tongue pressed down.

They made sure Eddie wasn’t going to have any circulation problems, being tied up kneeling for so long. They eased his discomfort just enough to be able to keep him there.

As he writhed, Venom decided that he was getting too much pleasure from his own motions, so they gave him a collar, anchoring it with a tentacle that reached behind him to the floor, holding him in an uncomfortable arch backwards. He breathed hard through his nose, chest heaving, cock bobbing. Venom thought he looked beautiful.

Eventually, an episode that Venom had seen before came on, so they decided that was as good a time as any to turn off the TV. They removed the blindfold.

Eddie winced and blinked as light flooded his eyes.

Venom brought their head in front of Eddie’s face, grinning.  **“How are you feeling, Eddie? Uncomfortable?”**

He nodded his head as much as the collar would allow.

**“Would you like to come?”**

Another nod and a despairing whine from behind the gag. The striations in his muscles briefly showed as he struggled against the bindings. They didn’t budge an inch and he sobbed in desperation.

**“Have you learned both your lessons?”**

Nod nod.

**“Are you sure? Not the first time you have called something else ‘god’ besides me. Maybe you need more punishment.”** They pulsed against his prostate and dragged a tendril maddeningly close to his cock.

Eddie jumped and shook his head emphatically. His hips bucked, desperately searching for sensation.

**“Very well, sweet Eddie.”** They removed the gag and collar.

Eddie sat up straighter, gasping like he’d run a mile.

“Please babe darling Venom I need need need to come. You’re the only one for me… I… I need to come so badly. You’re the only one that can make me feel so good.” he babbled, squirming again.

Venom said nothing, instead growing the plug in Eddie’s hole wider and longer.

"More, please more, love. Fill me up!"

**"More, Eddie?"**

"Please… please. I want to be so full."

**"So greedy. Very well. Anything for ** ** _you_ ** **, sweet Eddie."**

Venom grew their cock further. He felt his organs shift to accommodate the massive tentacle.

“Oohhh… F-fuck…” he moaned breathlessly. “Feels l-like you’re gonna split me in half… It's so  _ goooood _ ...”

**"Such a greedy ** ** _whore_ ** **."**

Eddie made another pretty whining sound.

**“Ah, you love it when I call you things like that. I can feel our heart beat faster.”**

His other began to twist and writhe the tentacle inside Eddie, shrinking and expanding it instead of fucking him with it. A bulge pressed out against his taut stomach muscles. They extended more of their mass around his cock and balls, enveloping them in blood-warm, smooth, black symbiote. The mass began pulsing. They shot out a few more tentacles for good measure, anchoring themselves in place to the floor, couch and ceiling. A few more lightly brushed his nipples. Eddie was exquisitely sensitive there.

Eddie threw back his head with a moan, eyes closed in bliss. He’d never felt so full before, impaled on Venom's cock.

**“Wish there was a mirror in here. Would love to show you how stretched out your asshole is. Eddie, you are such a ** ** _slut_ ** **. No one else can do ** ** _this_ ** ** to ** ** _you_ ** **.” ** Venom thrummed.  **"We have ** ** _ruined_ ** ** you."**

Eddie shuddered. His pleasure built quickly, already nearly there after so much teasing. He was perched on the edge.

Tendrils twisted sharply around his nipples, bringing cries from his plush lips.

Venom raked claws up his pectorals, over his shoulders and down his upper back, drawing thin lines of scarlet.

The pain had an electric effect. Eddie came immediately, giving a loud, shuddering scream. He shook like he was about to fall apart.

Venom  _ did _ fall apart, the orgasm hitting them unprepared. They briefly shivered apart into thin strands. After a second, they pulled just enough of themself together to keep milking Eddie through his orgasm and keep the cock in his ass.

“F-fuuuuucckkk…” he wailed, pleasure ripping through him. Venom freed him of his restraints and he tipped forwards onto hands and knees.

The symbiote gave one last irresistibly long pull on his cock, wringing the last few drops of cum out. Delicious. Venom loved the way their Eddie tasted. They retreated from his softening, over-sensitive cock since they felt like they had tortured Eddie enough, and began to pull out of his ass.

“Babe… Wait…” His voice was ragged, fucked out.

They paused.

“Please leave me full. I want to feel you inside me. Feels good.”

Venom chuckled, pleased with themselves and shrank the tentacle somewhat so it was merely large instead of gargantuan. They pulled Eddie up on the couch, smoothing themselves over the wounds they inflicted, healing them. Eddie sighed happily, relaxing into bonelessness. The symbiote carefully arranged the blanket over Eddie, wrapping him up tight. 

Eddie was so sweetly pliant like this. He was rarely truly relaxed. He was jittery and jangly; always fiddling with something. He watched every person in public, ever vigilant. But sometimes Venom could bring him to this state while he was awake. He was so calm, his brain actually quiet instead of fizzing and crackling. It was precious and they knew they had done well when it happened.

Their host was still, happily wrapped up in his other. Venom snaked out a tendril to retrieve a bottle of water and a chocolate bar, making sure Eddie finished them, tenderly feeding the squares of chocolate to him. Venom hummed in contentment, enjoying the endorphins that suffused Eddie's brain. They cuddled until Eddie fell asleep and stayed on the couch all night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go back to our regular scheduled updates! Poor Eddie is annoyed and homesick.

Chapter 4

The next morning was quiet. They had breakfast and exercised, had lunch and then headed to their meeting with the SHIELD higher ups. He felt somehow that he was being sent to the principal's office.

Venom was quiet for now, lurking deep in his abdomen, digesting lunch, like a lion under an acacia.

Eddie slouched through the brightly lit halls, hands stuffed in the front pockets of his SHIELD hoodie. He glanced over the walls as he went. There was a mixture of modern art and old photos of New York. The modern art was made of spiky pieces of various metals, mesh and wire. It wasn't to his tastes. He liked the old pictures of the city though. He missed New York. He wondered how much the skyline had changed in the three years since he'd left.

Reading the number plaques on the doors he hesitated. "Babe, was it room two or three?"

**Room two.**

"Thanks."

**You are welcome.**

He knocked.

"Come in, Mr. Brock." came a voice from inside.

He pushed open the door and stepped in.

The office inside was once again, extremely modern. The colour theme was navy blue and silver. A tasteful steel bookcase was against one dark wall. It was set with a number of books, a fern and a few small pieces of chilly modern art. The desk was kept plain and impersonal, facing away from the large window. A fascinating clear computer display was on the desk.

Seated behind the desk in an extremely fancy leather chair was a man in late middle age, square face cut with deep lines at the corners of the mouth. He was frowning slightly, although whether he was actually unhappy or if that was his default expression, Eddie didn't know. 

There was one empty chair that was less nice than the one behind the desk, so you'd know automatically where you were on the totem pole. In its twin beside it, sat Melanie Ferguson.

"Please sit." The man said.

"Hi, Ferguson." Eddie said, dragging the chair out and sitting on it, slouched, knees apart and fingers meshed together across his stomach. His lackadaisical posture belied his internal churning.

"Hello, Eddie, Venom." she replied, nodding her head, sitting as properly as ever, this time in a navy SHIELD uniform.

"Mr. Brock, I am Agent Ferguson's superior. My name is Shep Cox.-"

Venom snickered in Eddie's head.

"-I'd like to talk to you about your recent mission infiltrating the Malizia gang."

Eddie snorted, the rude sound seeming extra out of place in the stiff office. "You make it sound like we volunteered to do it."

"I am not here to discuss how you were brought in. I am only going to discuss how your mission proceeded."

Fuck, he really did feel like he was in trouble in school. He sat up a little straighter, gripping the armrests of the chair. "You know, actually we'd  _ really _ like to chat with you about how we end-"

"Eddie!" Ferguson said sharply, "Not the time!"

He shot her a glance and subsided slightly, settling back into an even more insolent posture. Someone who didn't know Eddie Brock very well might have thought he was done and calming down. In fact, he was bottling his indignation up, getting ready to unleash it at what would no doubt be the  _ worst _ time possible.

**Eddie. Just wait. Maybe not a good time to antagonize him.**

He frowned for a moment, knee jiggling. "So whaddya want to know?"

"I want to fact check Agent Ferguson's report to make sure it was correct and to add any additional pieces of information."

"So go ahead." A small tendril had spooled out around his fingers and he played with it absently.

This Agent Cox read out the reports from the various nights he had met up with the gang. It was largely boring since Ferguson had done a good job on her end and Eddie pretty much just gave monosyllabic answers.

"Now, about the night you had to prove your loyalty… Partially through the mission, you deviated to free a number of women that you found held captive…?"

"Yeah. We did that."

"You broke your cover. You were lucky there was so much chaos that it went unnoticed. In the future, please refrain and keep to the mission."

Eddie's hackles rose again. "They weren't women. They were girls. We  _ know _ what they went through. There was no way we were going to leave them there. They were innocents. We  _ had _ to."

"You  _ had _ to do nothing except stay in character. They would have been fine. The police arrived shortly afterwards." Cox flipped through the tabs on his screen.

Eddie stood up sharply. "We. Don't. Give. A fuck. If we see anyone who needs help like that, we will give it."

"Sit down, Mr. Brock."

He continued loudly, "People like those girls slip through the cracks all the time. That's who we protect and if you think that we'll just stand by-"

**Eddie. Calm down.** Venom gently took hold of his muscles, not keeping them entirely out of Eddie's control but more as a suggestion.

His jaw muscles clenched and he slowly sat back down.

**This is what got you in trouble with the LIFE Foundation. You get the bit between your teeth and run wild. Be sly.**

“Like you should talk, V.” he hissed.

Cox and Ferguson were watching him, the older man looking more annoyed than anything, while Ferguson kept her face carefully blank.

"Now, while in the end, we successfully took down all of the major players in the Malizia gang, it was rather in spite of your actions than because of them."

Eddie tensed up all over again.

"Everything had been going so well and then you decided to, ah, go in for the kill. It would have been more prudent to dither and wait for back up than try and take on all of them yourself."

Ferguson shot Eddie another look, probably waiting to see if he'd go off again.

Cox continued on. "I would have preferred to have Joe Malizia in custody but at least you left us his second in command. That was preferable to one of the others, but again, I suspect that was not your intention."

Eddie took a deep breath. "No, we were trying to kill him because he was a fuckin' super soldier and he was doing his goddamn best to kill  _ us. _ "

"Wouldn't it have been easier to incapacitate him? You have your own abilities."

"Uh, we weren't exactly at our best. I was kind of  _ dying _ at the time and V was doing their best to keep me alive  _ and _ fight that asshole at the same time. I barely even remember what was happening at the time."

"Back up was on its way. You could have bided your time. You are part of a team now, not a lone wolf."

Eddie's fists were clenched tightly around the armrests. He grated out between gritted teeth, "We didn't know that there was back up coming. V and I thought it was just us against that fucking gang. We were fighting for our lives."

Cox replied with his irritatingly reasonable tone, "Well, in the future, unless told otherwise, you can always assume that there will be back up. You aren't at the level where you will be expected to run solo missions yet."

"We never run solo missions. There are two people in my body." Eddie said tensely.

He waved a hand dismissively. "You know what I mean."

Through their bond, Eddie could feel a sharp spike of irritation from his other. They stirred in his belly and pressed at the skin of his back, but didn't emerge any more of themselves.

"Hey, so speaking of SHIELD and the Sokovia Accords and shit… I did some research after I got here. Really dug into the Accords. You know what I found,  _ Cox _ ?"

"What did you find?"

Eddie smirked thinly. "Well, we discovered that you aren't supposed to be using people like us as assets. We can't be compelled to help you. So whatever you ordered Ferguson to do was illegal." He sat back. "Now isn't  _ that _ something. We also discovered that street level supers aren't generally forced to sign the Accords either. Now, I might just be a journalist, but to us that sounds an awful lot like SHIELD is pulling something fucky."

"Are you done, Brock?"

Ferguson pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes with a barely audible groan.

Cox continued, "That is true, generally. Nobody bothers to police the small-time heroes. There are possibly hundreds in the United States alone, of various power levels. If local law enforcement wants to go after those vigilantes, they can, but we don't bother. It's true that we aren't supposed to make any enhanced individuals work for us too." Cox carefully folded his hands on his desk and gave them a small smile. "But you aren't really a small time hero. You saved the world a few months ago. You host an alien that would have liked to conquer Earth. Now, I say that you are a hero, but you do  _ eat _ people and in my experience, the general public does not really enjoy having  _ anything _ running around that may eat them. They have a hard time calling anything that does that a 'hero'.

"So in the end, the Accords are really for the public to feel better about the Avengers existing. It looks good on paper, but when you get down to it, really get into the dirty details, the Accords are crap and unenforceable. So go ahead, Brock. Write a story about how SHIELD did you wrong. We'll see how that goes when they discover that  _ you _ are hosting a blood-thirsty, literal illegal alien. And if you write that story, I  _ will make sure _ everyone knows about your little body mate."

Eddie sat rigidly, jaw muscles working, otherwise paralyzed with rage.

"That is all. You may leave. I trust you'll keep this meeting in mind for the future." Cox said dismissively, turning his attention to his screen.

Venom began oozing out of Eddie, thick as molasses, covering his arms.

Immediately, Ferguson leaped up and hooked an arm around Eddie's, tugging him up and out of the office.

He was so surprised he didn't even resist at first until they were a few feet down the hall.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" he snapped at the woman, clawed hands curled at his sides. Venom had tendrils laced over him, writhing angrily.

"Stopping you from doing something that will get both of you killed!" she hissed.

Venom formed a head,  **"We hate him! Let's bite off his head."**

"NO! Just, no. It's not worth it. Go and calm down."

**"Don't want to calm down!"**

"He threatened us!" Eddie snarled.

"Yeah, and  _ you _ threatened him first. I'm not defending him, but don't be an idiot."

Eddie stalked off down the shiny hallway.

Ferguson trotted after him.

"Cox is one of those old time guys. He's just… rigid and driven. He isn't nice, but he gets shit done."

"No wonder you acted like such a bitch." Eddie said. "Dealing with  _ him _ all the time."

She sighed. "Listen, Eddie. Just don't stir the pot too much. Remember where you are. I'm not going to be here to do any damage control. I'm going back out in the field tomorrow on a new assignment. Be sensible." Then she realized what she said and made a face. "Venom, please make sure Eddie doesn't get both of you killed."

**"** ** _Fine_ ** **…" ** Venom ground.

"I'll maybe see you around sometime. We're on the same team, like it or not." She pressed the button for an elevator.

Eddie sighed. "Yeah, yeah. See you another time, Ferguson." He waved a still clawed hand and continued to the stairs. He didn't feel like sharing an enclosed space with anyone besides his other right now.

They stalked across the grass, heading back to their rooms. Venom still twisted possessively around him.

**Have an idea.** Venom rumbled, a moment before they enveloped him completely, smoothly taking control. They bounded the last few feet to the building and swarmed up to the roof.

_ Why did you take us up here? You know I still don't really like heights... _

**"Nobody will bother us up here. Will keep you safe, Eddie."**

Eddie shifted dubiously inside his other.  _ It's still a big drop. _

**"Only four stories."**

It was flat and empty besides the access hatch and a few vents. It was also very warm, the sun gleaming on their dark, white veined hide.

The symbiote flopped down on their back, crossing arms behind their head, a comfortable distance from the edge. Gradually, Eddie relaxed, feeling the cold rage from earlier melt away in the warm spring sun.

**"See? This is nice."**

_Mmm…_ _Yeah._ Eddie murmured. _Hey, are you eating my brain chemicals again? I should be way more pissed off than this._

**"Only a little."** Venom admitted guiltily.

_ Well, ask next time. _

**"Yes, Eddie."**

_ Although I do feel more relaxed now. _

**"Yes. Wish we could do this back home."**

Eddie snorted.  _ We'd need there to be sun in San Francisco for that to happen.  _

Venom rolled over, resting their jaw on their folded hands.  **"We will find a nice tall building or maybe somewhere by the ocean where we can bask."**

Eddie said nothing, dreaming of home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment; they fuel my writing of the sequel! I'm gonna try and be a crazy person and get it all roughed out this month, since I don't actually have the time to go full NaNoWriMo.  
Edit: Yeah, nope. I'm not gonna get the sequel roughed this month. I had a few good plotty ideas a couple days ago, so I need to rewrite everything to get it to work.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Minor medical stuff, brief mention of body dysphoria.  
Thank you for all the comments! I treasure them so.

Chapter 5

They fell into a kind of routine over most of the next three days. SHIELD was leaving them alone for now, so they would wake up at a fairly normal time, eat breakfast and work out until they were hungry again. Thor would join them for their exercise. They'd have lunch and then the afternoon would be spent on a meandering wander of the grounds or watching TV while grazing on snacks. Then in the evening they'd have sex, fall asleep and start over. It was kind of soothing.

Venom had regrown all of the muscle that Eddie had lost and was making a start back on his fat layer. That would take much longer with their high metabolism, but soon Eddie would look just the same as he did before that night. Venom could feel his pleasure at that. Eddie had explained to them what dysphoria was. Losing twenty pounds of muscle and fat in literal hours would certainly cause it.

So, it wasn't much of a surprise, other than seeing Banner out in the cafeteria, when he approached them about getting some of the testing done that day.

Eddie grumbled, but went anyways, following the older man to the hospital. His other soothed him with gentle touches and by surreptitiously eating some of the stress hormones his brain was leaking. Not enough that the human would become suspicious that he was not feeling what he should be feeling, but just enough to take the edge off. Eddie didn't like it when Venom messed with his brain without permission, but this hardly counted, right?

Inside the large exam room, Eddie rocked backwards and forwards on his heels, looking around at the posters and equipment. "So are you even a medical doctor? When I did some reading up on the Avengers before, I didn't see that as one of your PhDs."

"I'm not. Not officially, anyways. I did a bunch of humanitarian work a few years back so I studied basic medicine so I could help people more effectively. A lot of the powered individuals can't go see a normal doctor anymore, so I've had to pick up more as I go too."

Eddie grunted in acknowledgement.

Dr. Banner had Eddie change into a horrible pale green paper gown and then started with what Eddie said were some normal things; taking his weight, blood pressure, height and listening to his breathing and heart. Banner proclaimed that Eddie was in excellent health, though he seemed a little warm.

**Of course you are healthy.** Venom scoffed. **I am looking after you.**

Then he looked in Eddie's ears and then his eyes which turned out to be the first weird thing. He peered in and almost immediately reared back up again.

"Oh my god! You have a tapetum lucidum!" he exclaimed.

"A what?"

**The reflective bit I put in your eyes. You should read more about anatomy. It's interesting.**

"Oh that." Eddie said.

"How? Humans don't have those!" Banner asked, excitement dancing in his eyes.

"Well, it's kind of a long story, but I complained that I had no night vision after V retracted back into me one time, so they fixed it. It's pretty handy."

Banner put his head on one side, frowning. "Hasn't that raised some questions?"

"Not really? People aren't very observant and we try not to stare into bright lights. Honestly, Ferguson is the only one who noticed because she tried to take a picture with flash."

Banner scribbled excitedly into a notebook.

"I want to take your temperature next. I think you might be running a slight fever."

Luckily, medicine had moved past the old fashioned thermometers so this one was just a little infrared gun.

Banner was amazed all over again. "Oh wow! One hundred and one point eight… Are you sure you feel okay?! You're definitely running a fever according to this!"

Eddie shrugged nonchalantly. "We feel fine."

**You do run warmer than you used to. Side effect of symbiosis.**

"V says that it's a side effect. I mean, I guess we can go outside with lighter jackets than I used to. We get really hungry though."

**I increase our metabolism then so you don't get cold.**

Banner's eyebrows threatened to climb into his hair. He scribbled more notes down. "Your metabolism is fascinating."

"Thank you?"

"Hold out your arm please. I would like to take some blood samples."

Venom manifested a head to watch and keep an eye on Banner. They didn't like when people harmed their host.

"I'll need you to fast starting at midnight. There are several tests I want to do to figure out your basal metabolism and check a few of your other levels. I'll need more blood tomorrow morning."

**"What is fasting?"**

"Means we don't get to eat."

The symbiote recoiled in horror. **"Need to eat! Can't starve!"**

"It won't be for long. You can eat afterwards and then I'll take one last blood sample." Dr. Banner said reasonably.

"Why do you need to figure out our metabolism? We know how much we need to eat." Eddie said, slightly petulantly.

"I want to learn exactly what effects hosting a symbiote has on the human body and how much Venom has increased it by. This, along with some of the other data I have collected, will let me do that."

**"Is only for a few hours? That's it?"**

Banner nodded.

**"Fine."**

"What's wrong with fasting? Do you get sick?" Banner asked.

**"No. ** ** _I_ ** ** won’t. But if I do not eat for too long I will start to absorb Eddie's organs. Can't help it. It is an instinctive function of my kind, like how humans automatically breathe. Can put it off for a while, but like you can hold your breath, it is only for a short time."**

Just when Eddie thought the scientist couldn't look more fascinated, he did. "Really?"

**"Yes. We are creatures stripped down to two instincts: eat and breed. We will do anything to survive."**

Eddie zoned out for a few minutes as V and Banner began discussing more esoteric things. He stared at an anatomy poster and picked at his cuticles until Banner handed him a cup.

"Fill this up please."

"What? With what?"

"Urine. There's a bathroom over there."

"... Great." he muttered, sliding off the table and slouching towards the door, clutching the stupid paper gown around him. His bare feet slapped the floor. Venom's head bobbed alongside him as he walked, narrowly avoiding getting shut in the door.

"Babe, can you not watch, please? You know I don't like it when people stare at me in the bathroom."

**"I am always watching, Eddie."**

"Yeah, I _ know. _ But can you put your head away?" He fumbled with the front of the gown, crumpling it in his sweaty hands, but didn't pull himself out.

**"... ** ** _Fine_ ** **…" Don't know why you are shy about peeing. Have seen your penis plenty of times. Was in my mouth last night.**

"Enough with the _ talking _, Venom!" he snapped, closing his eyes and leaning his head back in exasperation.

**Pussy.** they grumbled, but mercifully stayed silent through the whole procedure.

"So what fresh hell do we have on our plates this afternoon, Doc?" Eddie asked as he walked back in from lunch.

"Come into the fitness centre. You'll do some exercises with and without Venom."

Banner attached a few sensors to him and had him run on a treadmill, taking notes as he went. Pretty standard, boring stuff. Then he had Venom help him run. They did the same with the weights. Finally, Banner had Venom emerge entirely to repeat the exercises.

They had never really had an opportunity to fully test their strength. During the right with Riot, there had been no way to quantify their strength; it was just desperate ripping and dodging. The fight with Angelo had been done while both Eddie and Venom were not at their best. They were kind of interested in that part.

They ended up lifting thirty tons. Eddie was amazed. Venom seemed unimpressed. But then again, they didn't really have an idea as to how much that was.

"You could probably lift more if you were in a dangerous situation, because of adrenaline-"

**Tasty.**

"-but this is a good baseline for us."

"Holy shit. That's… wow." Eddie said. He was still wearing Venom, except for his head.

**We are not very strong. Plenty of other Klyntar are stronger than me. Riot was much stronger.**

"Babe, could you please try and not burst my bubble. We're super fucking strong. Besides, we still killed Riot."

Venom grunted.

"So how strong are you?" Eddie asked Dr. Banner.

"Uhh…" He rubbed his head. "I'm no stronger than average."

Eddie sighed and gestured. "Not _ you _, y'know…"

"Yeah. I know. We don't know how strong the other guy is. It scales up depending on how angry he is. Besides, I try my best not to let him out since there is the massive property damage and, uh, potential deaths to worry about."

"Oh. Yeah, that would be an issue." Eddie conceded. "So how do we stack up? There's got to be a scale or something."

"It's not really official…"

"Awww, come on! Let us know!"

The scientist glanced at the notebook he had been scribbling in. "Mid-range? I guess?"

Eddie's brows climbed towards his hairline. "We're only mid-range? Really? We lifted thirty tons!" He looked disappointed.

"Well… Yeah. There are people like Thor and Carol and, yes, the Hulk. They skew things a bit, even though we only have unofficial measurements for them. Your power set so far is fairly different than pretty much everyone else. Some similarities to Spider-Man, but the tentacles are new."

Eddie brightened up a bit.

"Well that's about it for today for tests. I'd like to ask some questions though. Come back to the exam room with me."

Eddie stood up from the weight bench he'd been sitting on. Venom immediately flowed back up over his face.

_ What's up babe? Why are we still suited up? _

**Because we can. Don't get to come out very often. Never around so many people… I like it. It's new.**

_ Okay. Just don't bash our head on any doorways. _

Venom followed Banner out, ducking a little under the door. They felt happy. They had Eddie all to themselves, more food than they could possibly eat, comfortable surroundings and no reason to hide. True, they were having to be tested by a scientist, but they liked Banner. He was nice and wasn't pushing them to do anything Venom was adamantly against. No suggestions of leaving Eddie, no samples of _ them _ getting clipped off, no harsh sounds or fire. They got to learn more about how the human body worked which was fascinating too.

The gleaming black alien perched awkwardly on the exam room table, giant hands gripping the edge gingerly. Their long, pink tongue curled out, tasting traces of disinfectant in the air.

Banner settled himself on a stool. "So it's a good thing you're still out, uh, Venom. I'd like to ask you some questions to learn more about _ your _biology, now that we have gotten data about how you may affect human biology. Sounds good?"

**"Yes."**

"We'll start with the basics. I know I asked you a lot of these questions before, but this time I want to write them down. I want to make sure I don’t make any mistakes. So you need to stay connected to a host in order to survive?"

**"Yes. On Earth. Other planets, we can survive without one."**

Banner wrote that down. "It's the oxygen, correct?"

The symbiote nodded.

"Are there certain species that you need to host with or will any do?"

Venom put their head to one side, thinking. **"Can bond with any living creature so far. No plants, obviously. There must be a degree of compatibility to my host's immune system for successful, long-term bonding. If I do not match, I can stay for a time but I will have to leave. Will hurt both of us and the host will probably die since I will have to destroy their immune system to keep it from attacking me. That is why the LIFE Foundation had trouble with us. No one was a really good match. Eddie, however, is a perfect match."** Their eyes crinkled briefly into happy crescents. **"Must also be at least an omnivore for long term bonding. Herbivores cannot eat everything we need."**

"Is this true of all symbiotes?"

**"No. Some others are better at matching to hosts. Riot was compatible to more than usual and they could override their immune systems better than I can if the host was not a good match."**

The scientist looked thoughtful, tapping his pen against his teeth. "How is that possible?"

Venom shrugged. As their shoulders were so broad, this took some time. **"Hard to explain… It is like juggling or spinning plates, like Eddie and I saw at a street fair. Some performers could keep many in motion, others only a few. Except with us, it is more innate and less learned."**

"So why carnivores over herbivores?"

**"We need lots of protein and chemicals found in the brains and organs. Herbivores can't survive eating those."**

"How can you adapt to eating so many different species? So many aliens?"

**"We just can. We can adapt."** They shrugged again. **"We have no scientists. Can't say how. Just… rearrange the molecules into something we can use."**

Banner frowned in disappointment, but moved on. "So besides protein, what other nutrients do you need?"

**"Know we need carbohydrates and fat too, like humans. For tasty brain chemicals we know there is one we need, but we don't know the name. Others are tasty and like vitamins for humans, but are not so essential. Adrenaline is one. Endorphins. There are some that Eddie releases when he is happy or when he orgasms."**

_ Holy shit V, tell everyone why don't you. _

**"What? Don't be embarrassed, Eddie. It's true and everyone already knows. Don't like it when he is scared or sad. Tastes bad. When we eat people, we like it when they are scared. Tastes different then. Is very good."**

"Hmm… I'll see about synthesizing as many as I can later. We'll figure out what it is you need. So why do you have your hosts eat the food? Couldn't you just absorb it yourself, like you do with the chemicals and organs of hosts?"

**"Could do that. Would rather not. Tastes better when Eddie eats food. We don't have taste buds like you do. We can experience what our hosts taste if they eat."**

"Interesting. That segues nicely into my next questions. So when Eddie is inside you, he experiences everything you do?"

**"Yes. I also feel everything Eddie does. Every touch, smell, what he sees and hears, all pleasure, all pain."**

“Do you have other senses besides the ones that humans have?”

**“Yes and no. Our sense of smell is different.”** They unrolled their tongue and twisted it for emphasis. **“We can taste the air with our tongues. More useful for learning exactly what chemicals we are sensing. We have sensitive hearing and are more sensitive to vibrations and heat than humans. When we are separated from our hosts we are blind, can’t smell and we can’t hear as well. Can still taste what is around us though.”**

Banner flipped to a new page and kept scribbling. This set of notes took a while. “And last question for today: Where, exactly do you go in a host? You don’t appear to take up additional space.”

**“I am spread out everywhere.”** They spread their hands for emphasis. **“There are enough tiny spaces that I can hide within Eddie; around his organs, flowing through his blood, nestled in the microscopic spaces between his cells. Then I emerge through his pores.”**

"_ Fascinating _. Well, I'm going to get all of this typed up. I'll have more questions for you tomorrow. Remember, no eating after midnight." He shut the notebook with a snap.

**"Ugh. Fine."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the lore I looked up, how much Venom can lift is all over the place, so I picked one on the lower mid range of the scale.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Sex partway through the chapter.

Chapter 6

The next morning Eddie and Venom were rather grumpy. Instead of getting an enormous and delicious breakfast courtesy of Tony Stark's kitchen staff, they had water. Eddie's stomach snarled angrily as he got dressed. His stomach felt like an empty pit. Luckily their blood tests with Dr. Banner had been scheduled fairly early, around ten. They occupied themselves by going for a walk around the grounds. The spring day was warm with a pleasant breeze.

They had completed their second circuit of the grounds when someone called their names. Eddie turned. There was Thor, bounding towards them like he was barely tethered to the ground.

"Eddie! Venom! Where were you earlier? I missed you in the gym."

He blinked in surprise, then scowled. "Oh, we had those tests for the fucking Sokovia Accords yesterday and now Dr. Banner wanted us to fast before he did more tests on us. Figured it was best to not exercise since we might accidentally eat an intern."

Thor made a face. "An annoyance! How long until you go in again?"

"An hour, but it shouldn't be long. Maybe an hour or so for the tests."

"I will wait for you. Perhaps we can dine together?"

"Oh! Uh, sure. We wouldn't want to keep you from anything else you might want to do…"

The blonde man flapped a hand. "Nonsense! I enjoy spending time with you two! Trying to negotiate a home for my people is taxing. So much talking, so much  _ waiting _ ."

Eddie felt his cheeks heat. "Oh, uh, well. Sure! We'd love to."

Venom snickered. Eddie rubbed his hands on his cheeks, hoping they weren't too pink.

"Excellent." the Asgardian boomed.

The blood tests were simple and boring enough, over quickly. Dr. Banner did bring out a set of test tubes at the end though. Each one was labeled. Eddie picked one up labeled 'dopamine'.

"We had every hormone and chemical that we can synthesize, um, synthesized. Every one that we think might be a candidate for your essential chemical, Venom."

**Good.**

"It's probably best if you come out for this, love. We have a better sense of smell that way."

His other complied, flowing out smoothly. They crouched in the exam room.

“That’s still so weird.” Banner said, shaking his head. He uncorked the first test tube, offering it to them.

They twisted their tongue out, tasting the air above it.

**"Delicious. Adrenaline? We like that one, but it is not it."**

Dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and all four endorphins were sampled, appreciated but were not it.

"I hope it's one of these." Banner said dubiously. These next ones were more esoteric.

Testosterone was not it.

But then…

Banner uncorked one.

Venom froze a moment, wide white eyes growing even wider. They dove for the test tube, nearly bowling Banner over. They seized it in both meaty hands, cramming the tip of their tongue inside.

**"Yes YES! This is it!" ** The test tube was now covered in drool.  **"More! Want more!"**

_ Fuck, that was gooood… _ Eddie moaned within the symbiote.  _ What one was that? _

**"Phenethylamine." ** Venom gasped. Their opalescent eyes were very wide.

"Interesting." Banner murmured.

**"We want more."** Venom demanded.  **"We have been getting hungry."**

_ Holy shit… _ Eddie said, dazed within his other.  _ That stuff in concentrated form… Fuck. It's like goddamned coke. _

"I'm afraid that's all the lab techs made. I can see about making more, maybe in pill form. We can figure out dosage as we go so you won't need to eat, uh, brains anymore."

**"Mmmm…"** Venom hummed, distracted. They started to flow back into Eddie when-

_ Wait! V, don't! I have, um, something we need to take care of… _

Venom focused inward a moment…

**Ah. Yes. "Banner, where is the bathroom? Eddie needs it."**

He gestured to the door. "Down the hall, second door on the left."

The symbiote got up in a hurry, squeezing through the door. Once they were in the bathroom, Venom flowed back into Eddie, revealing him with a very obvious boner.

He rubbed his face. "Normally I'm fine with everything that's come from bonding with you, but getting horny from eating brains and that phen-phenyl whatever is kind of weird."

Venom moved through him in a kind of shrug.  **Not my fault that this is the way we react together when I have phenethylamine. Remember, all my kind does is eat and spawn. Food is the closest thing to what, mmm, gets us going.**

"Ugh. I know. It's just awkward."

**Was very good though. Very pure. Delicious. Never had that much at once before. It was getting to be too long since we had brains.**

Eddie glanced down at his tenting pants. "Well, can you make this go away? We have things to do."

**Of course.**

A mass of black immediately flowed out around his groin.

"Wait, that's not what-" Eddie's protest was cut off by a wave of perfect sensation that made his eyes roll back.

**Are you sure? Most fun way.** Venom asked, their mental voice deep and gravelly in a way that really did not help matters.

"... Okay. Just a quickie though."

Venom purred, deep in Eddie's bones. They began rippling over his cock, caressing his balls, then tugging on them.

Eddie gasped, seizing the edge of the bathroom counter with one hand and clapping the other over his mouth. Blood pounded in his ears.

**Got to keep ** ** _yourself_ ** ** upright this time, Eddie.**

Venom was merciless. They usually liked to take their time, but this time they brought Eddie towards their shared pleasure quickly. They concentrated attention on the head of his cock, flicking a tendril against his slit, rubbing against the underside of his glans.

Tiny whines escaped from his mouth, muffled by his hand. The pleasure bordered just this side of too much. His legs shook as heaviness built in his abdomen. He was so close. Almost contemplatively, Venom rolled his balls around. Eddie made a desperate noise.

Venom pressed a blunt tendril hard into his perineum while applying delicious suction to his cock. He came, letting out a choked gasp and shuddering. Venom spasmed as sweet pleasure rippled through to them.

**Sso good, Eddie. ** they slurred, the part of them that had emerged oozing slowly down Eddie's legs.

"Holy shit." Eddie squeaked. He panted, hands still white-knuckled on the edge of the sink. Shakily, Eddie reached down to the inky mass currently puddled around his feet, a few tendrils still clinging to his legs. He gathered up as much of Venom as he could, pressing the symbiote to his chest with a kiss. Venom hummed in delight and sank the rest of themselves back through Eddie's skin. He rearranged his clothes and splashed water on his face, trying to look less like a sweaty, fucked-out mess.

"Okay. Let's try and act normal again."

Venom only hummed quiet agreement, sated by the flood of chemicals through Eddie's brain.

It ended up that Banner didn’t have that many more questions for them, just a few on how many brains they needed per week, which was incredibly awkward, though he did want one more blood sample after lunch, so they went to the cafeteria to meet up with Thor.

Lunch was a build your own taco bar that day. Eddie, at the urging of Venom, piled his tacos with a horrifying amount of avocado, cheese and shrimp. They were ravenous from missing breakfast.

Thor was cheerful as always, tucking away an amount of food that rivaled Eddie.

"So are you going to join us for drinks tonight?" he asked them.

Eddie swallowed his bite of mostly avocado. "What day is it? I've kind've lost track." he mumbled.

“Saturday. Many of us meet in the bar for drinks throughout the week, and on Saturday nights, we sing many popular songs together. It's a fine way to spend an evening." 

"Sure. I don't think V and I were going to do anything else."

**Nope. Nothing good on the Food Network tonight. Stupid Diners, Drive-ins and Dives marathon.**

"What time does everyone meet there?"

**Wouldn't even ** ** _want_ ** ** to eat Guy Fieri's brains. Probably tastes bad. Greasy.**

Thor replied, "Usually around, mmm, seven?"

**He has weird, pointy hair. Very annoying. Probably would poke our mouth. Don't know why we would want to watch a show showing us food that is too far away to eat.**

"Who's going to be there?" Eddie asked. "We don't really know anyone."

**Not even interesting drama on that show…** Venom continued muttering.

"V! Please be quiet. I can barely focus."

Venom poked Eddie in the ribs.

He grunted. It felt very strange to be prodded from the inside.

"I have heard that Natasha will be in town. She has been terribly busy the last couple of years. Ever since that whole Hydra thing happened. She rarely makes it back here." He made a face.

"Who else? Um, not Stark, right?"

"Him? Oh, no. Stark is gone right now. Some sort of technology convention in China. That's why Natasha will be here. She and Stark are not talking right now."

Eddie breathed out a sigh of relief. "Good. I've heard he doesn't like aliens very much. We hope he doesn't show up while we're still here."

"Stark doesn't mind me."

"Yeaahhh… But V originally came here to conquer and eat every living thing on the planet. I don't think Stark would take very kindly to that."

"Mmm… I suppose not. He can be a little… Inflexible." Thor conceded.

**Just let us eat him. No problems then.**

"V, no."

**No fun.**

"Well, you must join us! There will be drinking and tales and songs!"

"Sure… We can do that."

"Excellent! Now, I must be off. Apparently there is a 'phone conference call' I must attend in regards to New Asgard."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eddie is such a sweaty, awkward human. What a dork.  
The next chapter was so much fun to write; I can't wait for you all to read it next week!  
Please comment; they help get me through my week.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had lots of fun writing this chapter. It's fluffy and silly and light. Thank you for your kind comments!  
TW: Alcohol consumption. A few people get drunk.

Chapter 7

Eddie, somewhat nervously ascended the stairs to the bar/lounge. Venom spooled into his hand to hold.

**Don't worry, Eddie. Will be fine. We have been here for ** ** _days_ ** ** already. No one has tried to hurt us.**

"I know, but Cox threatened us." he murmured. "And we're still going to maybe meet more Avengers. It's weird."

**Cox won't be here. Can't imagine** ** _ him_ ** ** doing anything fun. Besides, you ** ** _like_ ** ** Thor. ** They snickered a little, putting emphasis on 'like' with a squeeze.  **Banner too. But not in the same way. **

"I'm… I'm not going to run off with him, babe." He paused on the first landing.

**I know.**

"He's just a very attractive man."

** _I know._ ** ** Just teasing you, Eddie.**

"Good, cuz I don't want you to be jealous or anything."

Venom snorted and squeezed Eddie's ass.  **I know that no one else can give you pleasure like I can.**

He shivered a little, heat growing in his groin. "Do you want to go back to our room, then?" he asked, mind straying to all the things they could do.

**No. Want to do this.**

Eddie felt his other do  _ something _ in his more delicate places and the erection that had been beginning, faded. Venom nudged his legs forward and with a little twinge of disappointment, he started climbing the stairs again.

**I will do ** ** _terrible_ ** ** things to you later. ** Venom rumbled deliciously. 

Eddie grinned a little and pushed open the door.

Inside, it was as tastefully modern as the rest of the buildings. Lots of brushed steel, gray paint and pops of colour. His mouth gave a twist of distaste as Eddie saw the pop art painting of Iron Man on one of the walls.

**He put a picture of himself up?** Venom asked incredulously.

"Looks like it."

**Ugh.** **Should definitely eat him. Saves everyone else from him.**

“He’s insufferable.”

Eddie didn't answer, scanning the room. There were clusters of SHIELD and Stark employees, relaxed and chatting, hands wrapped around beer glasses or delicately swirling wine in elegant, stemmed glasses. Music, not too loud, played in the background.

Thor was already there, one empty beer glass in front of him and another well on its way in hand. He lounged like a king in his chair. A red-headed woman sat near him, sipping a tumbler of clear liquid. That must be Natasha. Black Widow. Eddie was surprised to actually see her there, since she was supposed to be on the run with Captain America and Falcon. Banner was nowhere to be seen.

He stopped at the bar first to get a coke, then went over to the table where Thor and Natasha sat.

"Eddie!" exclaimed the blonde man, "You came!"

"Hello." he said, a little awkwardly.

Natasha turned to look at him. V immediately clenched up in Eddie's guts.

"Ow ow ow, relax, fuck, relax babe!" Eddie gasped, doubled over. Some of his drink sloshed over his fingers.

**Sorry. That woman is a predator. Very dangerous. Look at her eyes.**

He straightened up again, a little flushed, to see them both staring at him. Her eyes looked perfectly normal to him. Maybe a little concerned, but that's it.

"Uhh…" he stammered.

"This is Eddie. I was telling you about him."

"Yeaahhh…" the red head said dubiously, still staring.

Eddie's flush turned into a full on blush.

"He has the alien symbiote inside him."

She nodded.

Eddie sat down since standing would only be more awkward.

"Sorry, um, V tensed up in me. It pinches when they do that. Uh, nice to meet you?"

"Must be pretty strange, having an alien shacking up inside you." Natasha said.

Eddie shrugged. "I've gotten used to it. With everything you've seen, that shouldn't seem too weird."

She shrugged, the very picture of nonchalant. "It's still a new one to me."

"So why are you here?" asked Eddie, his reporter sense tingling. "We heard you were on the run with the others."

Thor and Natasha shared a look.

"Well, Tony is a bit… Rigid. He's kind of an ass. But he's not here and I wanted to visit my friends. It's not like he can keep me out of anywhere I really want to be anyways. I'll sneak back out again before he gets back."

Eddie raised his brows and took a sip of his coke. "But everyone here has seen you. What about the cameras? I know this place is packed with them."

"What Tony doesn't know can't hurt him. We keep it all on the down low."

Thor leaned forward conspiratorially. "She uses magic to confuse the cameras." He grinned. Eddie couldn't tell if the big man was telling a joke or not.

"I've got some spycraft secrets to keep me safe." Natasha said with a small, secret smile.

"Like?" Eddie pressed. "Might be useful for us. We need to sneak into places undetected sometimes."

"Sorry. Trade secret."

"C'mon…"

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

Eddie threw up his hands in submission, grinning. 

They chatted for a while, until the music shut off. There was a little commotion in one corner. Right. Karaoke. One of the SHIELD guys launched into an off-key rendition of 'Sweet Caroline'.

"I'm getting another soda." Eddie announced, getting up. The energy of the place was starting to pick up as everyone began to relax. He made his way to the bar.

Venom piped up. They had been quiet for a while, just listening and watching in their own way.  **You can get an alcoholic drink, if you want.**

"You sure, babe? I know you hate it."

**Just tonight will not bother me. Go ahead. Have fun. Will fix your liver later.**

Eddie got a couple beers from the bartender and went to sit back down with Thor and Natasha. A small part of him was pleased that he got to sit at what he thought of as the cool table. He relaxed further, feeling the alcohol kick in. It happened much faster than it used to because of their souped up metabolism.

Venom oozed out, twining loving strands around his arms and shoulders. They were feeling it too. They had trouble keeping themself contained under Eddie’s skin when he drank, which had led to one near disaster not long after they had bonded and Eddie had convinced them to let him go to a bar. They moved around more, touching him, never still.

"So where is Dr. Banner?" Eddie asked Natasha. "We should drag him up here. He needs to have fun too!"

Thor and Natasha traded awkward looks.

Eddie suddenly realized he had stepped on some toes. "Uh, sorry. Is there, um…"

Natasha's lips twisted bitterly and she went up to get another glass of vodka.

"Natasha and Bruce are not talking right now either. They used to be kind of seeing each other and he ran off for several years and I found him out on Sakaar as a gladiator… It's a long story and kind of touchy. He doesn't know she's here right now and everyone would like to keep it that way. Don't want to accidentally set off the Hulk."

"... Fuck." Eddie said. He slugged back the rest of his beer.

"She will be alright. Just don't talk about it. She’s strong. Just mad at him and at herself, I think."

She wandered back, vodka in hand. She sat back down, long legs crossing at the ankle. She took a sip and leaned in. "Miguel is going to try singing 'Mmmbop' again. Prepare yourselves." And that was that for the awkward moment.

At one point Natasha got up to belt out 'You Oughta Know'. She was very good.

Thor relocated himself to behind the bar when the bartender got up to sing his own song and began handing out shots of tequila to everyone who came up for a new drink, regardless of what they ordered. Venom snuck a tendril into the bottle to retrieve the worm.

Eddie and Venom got drunker and drunker, occasionally taking a break to gulp water. They were comfortably drunk, feeling silly and indulgent. They found themselves dragged up to the karaoke machine with Thor and three other SHIELD people to badly yell 'We Didn't Start The Fire'. Thor was at all times at least one word behind, arm slung over Eddie's shoulders, but no one cared. They were all having fun and it was hard enough to keep themselves from dissolving into peals of laughter. Eddie decided that not all of SHIELD were bad, just the management. These more junior members were alright. They still knew what a good time was.

Eddie and Venom flung themselves, still laughing, down into a new place, their former table having been usurped by two women who had a song binder. They were debating with Natasha as to which Spice Girls song they were all going to try. Their new spot was a loveseat tucked into the far corner. Thor followed and crammed himself in next to them, stretching an arm along the back.

Eddie suddenly became very aware of how Thor's hard thigh was pressed up against his. He forcibly dragged his attention back to what the blonde man was saying.

"-he turned himself into a mare and lured away the stallion. Oh, you should have seen Nolvemi's face when he realized he could not complete the wall… Ha!" He looked at Eddie, eye sparkling with humor. "It was a fine change, I tell you, to not be the butt of Loki's tricks for once!"

Eddie grinned back. He'd missed most of the story, but looking at Thor's guileless face, he couldn't help but smile.

Someone started up a new song on the karaoke machine and it quickly became clear that they didn't know it as well as they thought. People whooped sarcastically.

Venom spilled out a little, tracing the lines of Thor's hand and forearm. The big man poked the slick tendril and when it twined around his fingers, he closed his hand lightly, rubbing it with his thumb.

Eddie felt the touch in that strangely distant way and shivered. "I think… we think we need another drink…"

"I'll fetch you another. Beer?"

"N-no, water or soda, I think…"

"Stay right there, Eddie and Venom. I shall return." He got up and strode away.

Eddie breathed out explosively, scruffing a hand through his hair.

**Eddie is hoooorny…** Venom drunkenly sang in his head.

"Shut up shut up  _ shut up _ , V. Oh my g-…" he cut himself off.

** _Good boy…_ **

"-just, don't tell everyone!" he finished in a furious whisper.

**Can see why humans drink this poison. Makes you silly.** Venom said.

Eddie said nothing, absently rubbing the centre of his chest, staring unfocused at the wall.

**Would you like to have sex with him?**

His eyes flew open. "What! I'm not… you and me… fuck, babe. I don't-I… It would be…"

**Let me rephrase that. If you want to, ** ** _we_ ** ** can have sex with him. ** ** _He _ ** **clearly wants to fuck us.**

Thor, waiting at the bar, saw Eddie looking at him and smiled. Eddie blushed and ducked his head.

**He has been looking for excuses to touch us all night. I know you are ** ** _mine_ ** **, Eddie, but I will ** ** _share_ ** ** you with him. Would you like that, Eddie? To be fucked by both of us? To be used like the ** ** _slut_ ** ** you are?** Venom crooned in his head, the reverberations from their voice throbbing in his chest.

Eddie's cock responded to  _ that _ . He was glad he'd decided to wear the least garish pair of jeans from his Daniel Veleno character instead of the SHIELD issue sweats he'd been given. "Holy shit, V." he hoarsely managed.

**You would, wouldn't you? You can't keep secrets from ** ** _me_ ** **. Little ** ** _slut_ ** **.**

Thor chose that moment to walk back over, holding two sodas. His eye flicked over Eddie, who had dragged a pillow from the loveseat over his crotch and had high colour in his cheeks. The Asgardian more carefully sat next to Eddie, passing him the coke.

Eddie gratefully took it, gulping some back as quickly as he could manage with the fizz.

"Everything alright?" he asked, sipping more delicately from his own drink.

Eddie nodded nervously, still drinking. His shoulder tingled as Venom manifested a head.

**"Thor. I have noticed the way you have been acting. The way you touch us, sit near us all the time. Would you perhaps like to leave the party? Together?"**

Thor paused and set down his soda. "Well, if both of you would like that, I too would find that pleasing."

**"Oh, Eddie would definitely like that."** they said wickedly.

Eddie finished his drink, spinning the glass between his fingers. Venom plucked it out of his grasp with a tentacle and deposited it on the table.

"Well, Eddie?" Thor asked, a gentle note in his voice.

"Yes." he breathed.

Thor leaned in, taking Eddie's jaw in one large hand and kissed him with surprising delicacy.

Eddie leaned into the kiss, splaying his hand against Thor's broad chest and sweeping it up to his shoulder, hard with muscle. He opened his mouth, tongue touching Thor's lips, which opened, inviting him in. Thor’s tongue twined delicately with his own.

They broke apart, Eddie's lips still open slightly, a dazed look in his eyes.

"Shall we leave?" asked Thor.

"Oh fuck yes." replied Eddie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some filth next week. :P   
I will definitely not get the sequel for this finished this month. I'm probably going to finish rewriting it today and then I'll be able to work on it a little bit everyday on my bus rides again. I can't say for sure when I'll get it done since it is DEFINITELY shaping up to be the most complicated thing I've written. I did end up having to outline it a bit and leave notes for myself, which I've never done. It'll be a lot more action-y and plot heavy. I visualized 'All You Need is Amnesty' as a fluffier interlude between two much more plotty works.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a little bit of an early update as I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow.  
Enjoy Thor, Eddie and Venom having a real good time.
> 
> Tw: Sex.

Chapter 8

They padded across the dew-wet grass to Thor's rooms. At first Eddie thought the cool air was sobering him up, but then realized that it was Venom. He rubbed his chest in gratitude, hoping his other got the message. Venom squeezed him, touch lingering.

They kissed again in the elevator up, hungry. Thor's hands hardly strayed from chaste touches on Eddie's shoulders and back until Venom guided Thor's hand down to Eddie's ass. When he squeezed, Eddie moaned into his mouth.  _ That _ seemed to break something loose in the Asgardian. When the doors chimed cheerfully open, Thor picked up the smaller man with no effort. Eddie wrapped his legs around Thor's hips as he was carried into the room and plopped on the bed.

Thor stepped back and stripped off his shirt, revealing hard muscle, gently golden. Eddie was struck again by how absurdly beautiful he was.

His own fingers fumbled with the buttons on his charcoal gray shirt.

**Let me** . said Venom, clever tendrils undoing the buttons with ease, then peeling the shirt off. 

Thor climbed on top of Eddie, holding him down with his weight, kissing deeply. Eddie's fingers tangled in Thor's short cropped hair. Venom explored the Asgardian too, touching and stroking.

They came up for air, lips swollen, pants uncomfortably tight.

"How, ah, how would you like to go about doing this?" Thor asked, slightly awkwardly, rolling to one side so he was facing Eddie.

"I usually prefer bottoming, but I can top if you want." replied Eddie.

Thor grinned. "Works out well. I prefer to be the top. How would you like to be involved, Venom?"

The symbiote formed a head and hummed thoughtfully.  **"I feel everything that Eddie does through our bond. He likes to be dominated, to be used. I like to dominate. We can have our way with him and make him beg?"**

"Would you like that, Eddie?" asked Thor.

He licked his lips. "Yes please. Wait. Um, we'll need to set some hard limits. We don't want to do anything you aren't into." He exchanged a look with his other. "We're into some fucked up shit and I know it's not for everyone."

Thor tilted his head, thinking. "I do not like to inflict too much in the way of pain. Nothing that draws blood. I won't hit you either, except maybe your ass, a little. Nothing involving waste. I am not into choking people either. Too dangerous."

"Well, V can breathe for me so breathplay is safe for us. We can stick to all those limits. We probably won't get  _ that _ kinky, but do you want a safe word?"

Thor shook his head. "So what, ah, 'fucked up shit' are you into?"

"Um, you know I like to be dominated, that's not really fucked up, uh, I really like pain when it's inflicted correctly and I don't mind blood. It kind of happens when V and I really get going, but they can heal me back up again. There's a few other things, but they're not on the table tonight."

"Now, ah, what about, ah, protection? I know this is important on Midgard."

Eddie grinned at the normally confidant Thor being bashful.

**"Eddie can't get sick while we are bonded. We are safe. Now…"** They undid his pants and drew them off in a way that was weird, but less awkward than the normal shoving and wobbling and fighting with socks.

Thor removed his as well, revealing a cock that was larger than Eddie's, flushed a rosy pink and nestled in a bed of golden curls. Of course even his penis was beautiful. He climbed back on top of Eddie, taking his wrists in one hand and pinning them up above his head. 

Eddie made a desperate sound. He ached to be touched. Venom leaned their head in to kiss their host deeply while Thor kissed and gently bit his neck and collarbone, sucking on his earlobe.

"I need… I need… Can I suck your cock?" Eddie asked.

"Oh yes."

Thor stood back up and Eddie dropped to his knees in front of him, eagerly taking his cock into his mouth. He held the base in one hand while he fondled his balls with the other.

Thor made a  _ beautiful _ sound. Eddie swirled his tongue around the head of his cock. Thor pressed one hand to the back of Eddie's head. The skin was velvety soft, like silk over steel. He loved the weight of it on his tongue.

**"Can I kiss you?" ** Venom queried.

Eddie pulled off of Thor's cock with a pop. "Go easier on the teeth and tongue, love. You can't take away his gag reflex." His hands worked along the saliva slicked shaft. "It's been a long time since I've been with a man. How am I doing?" He grinned up.

Thor made another groan of pleasure and pressed Eddie's head back onto his cock.

Venom shrank them down and moved in, being much gentler than they did with Eddie. Thor sucked on Venom's tongue. Eddie moaned as he felt the sensation echo through him.

Thor's breath quickly became ragged, a tremor running up his legs. "Wait. I am getting close and I am not ready to finish yet."

Eddie took his time, drawing off of Thor’s cock slowly, sucking hard. His balls had drawn up tight. Thor made a strangled sound, hand shaking on Eddie's head.

"How do you want me?" Eddie asked, still kneeling, looking up the blonde man.

**"He would look beautiful bent over in front of you, perhaps."** Venom rumbled.

"I have something else in mind. I want to see his face while I fuck him."

Venom purred. Eddie got up off his knees and sat back on the bed. His cock bounced against his stomach, heavy and sensitive.

"Eddie, you are a fine looking man." His eyes raked appreciatively over him.

Eddie flushed self consciously. He thought he was generally pretty average looking, but it was nice being told that by someone as gorgeous as Thor.

Venom curled a tendril around Eddie's cock. His hips twitched.  **"Do you have lube?"**

"I believe there is some in the bathroom. I will be right back." He strode off.

Eddie admired his ass and the play of muscles in his back. "Holy shit. I can't believe we're going to have sex with the god of thunder. Hey, V?"

**"Yes, Eddie?"**

"Can I say, 'oh my god' with him?"

Venom chuckled.  **"Yes. This time it is appropriate."**

Thor came back, cock bobbing with every step, brand new bottle of lube in hand. He stood in front of Eddie, taking his time slicking up his cock.

"Stark sure stocks these places up with everything, doesn't he?" Eddie commented, laying back and spreading his legs.

Thor smirked. "Yes, he does. He was a rather wild man before he got together with Miss Potts, so I think he imagines all this as essential. There is a drawer full of condoms and a couple pairs of fuzzy handcuffs as well." He pressed first one finger into Eddie's hole, then another, scissoring them inside him and curling them up into his prostate.

Eddie moaned, head falling back.

Thor worked on his hole for a few minutes, adding a third finger, then withdrew them, absently wiping the slicked up fingers on the bed spread. Eddie was already panting and moaning, hips twitching and bucking. Venom was still holding his cock in a nest of tentacles, just beginning to ripple them.

"Let me know if I am hurting you."

**"Eddie likes the pain. Shove yourself in as hard as you want. Use him any way you want."**

"Fuck, please… I need you inside me…"

"If you insist. I mean it though, if anything becomes too uncomfortable, let me know. It too has been a long time since I have been with a man."

He picked Eddie up and carried him over to the wall, settling his legs around his hips. Thor guided his cock against Eddie’s asshole and slid him down on it. It went in easily.

"Ohhh… Fuuuckk… You feel so big…"

Thor gave a breathy little moan, seating himself in to the hilt. "Ah, you feel good." He began thrusting, fucking Eddie up against the wall. His fingers dug into Eddie’s asscheeks.

"You look so beautiful." Thor panted. Eddie threw back his head again with a shuddering gasp as Venom dipped the tip of a tentacle into his slit, then slid it deeper and deeper until they could press against his prostate from the inside. More tendrils wrapped around his cock, stroking and writhing.

“Oh my god… I’ve… I’ve never been fucked like this before… Harder...” Eddie moaned, eyes rolling back.

Thor increased the pace, rutting up against him with bruising force. Eddie sobbed as Thor’s cock pounded into his prostate and Venom pressed from the other side. He gripped the Asgardian’s shoulders desperately tight, nails digging in. He could feel the incredible strength of the man who held him. He couldn’t do anything but succumb to the fucking.

**"Eddie's lips looked so pretty wrapped around your cock. He is an agreeable little slut isn't he?" ** Venom’s voice was rougher than usual, shuddering from the sparks of pleasure through their bond. They stroked Eddie's cock in time with Thor's thrusts.

"Oh yes. So eager, so ready. I hardly had to try to seduce him." He took a few deep breaths, slowing the pace, not wanting to come yet. "I saw the way he stared." He kissed Eddie roughly, moving his hand to grip his jaw, forcing his tongue in. 

When the Asgardian broke away, Eddie threw back his head again. "I'm I'm so close, please-" Venom cut him off by kissing him deeply, fucking his throat with their tongue. Eddie kept his head leaned back, moaning around it. Thor could see the bulge in his throat from Venom's tongue. They broke free of the deep kiss, affectionately licking Eddie's cheek as he panted and moaned.

**"Eddie makes such pretty noises, doesn't he?"**

Thor didn't answer, but thrust into Eddie's wet entrance, losing rhythm. With a few final slapping thrusts he came, "Ahh!" Hot cum spurted deep in Eddie's asshole. 

Venom withdrew the tendril from inside his cock and Eddie followed a moment later, muffling his scream by burying his face in Thor's neck. 

Venom's head dissolved onto Eddie’s shoulder in a melting pool of black.

Thor kissed Eddie again, gentler this time, his softening cock still buried deep. Eddie wrapped his legs around Thor, holding him in place.

"You felt so good, Eddie." Thor breathed against his neck.

"That was amazing. Holy shit. I've never been fucked by two people before."

"Is Venom okay?"

"Oh... yeah. That happens to them when I come; they lose track of themselves a little. Normally they hold themself together a bit more, but they also have to do aftercare most of the time when we have sex."

Just then, the black goo twitched, drawing back in and soaking into Eddie.

**Love you, Eddie.**

Thor carefully lifted Eddie off his cock, sliding out of Eddie’s wrecked hole. He set him down on the bed. Eddie immediately fell over backwards, sprawling against the sheets with a happy sigh.

They climbed under the covers, Eddie's head pillowed on Thor's chest. Venom spooled out a few tendrils, wrapping around them both. Eddie and Thor soon fell asleep while Venom watched them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your lovely comments! I smile every time one shows up in my email.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much plot, but more smut this week, so...  
TW: Sex

Chapter 9

Venom had been idly floating through Eddie's bloodstream. There wasn't really anything to fix besides some minor bruising and tearing which they were going to leave for Eddie to discover in the morning, so they were just checking up on things, enjoying the thud of his heart and the gentle crackle of electricity in his brain as he dreamed, when they became aware of soft sounds coming from the bed next to Eddie.

They listened a moment, slightly confused by the faint gasps and sniffles. They could sense by Thor's heartbeat that he was awake, but lying very still, pretending to still be asleep.

Venom tugged the pillow off Eddie's head. He usually liked to sleep burrowed up in the blankets with only a little of his face showing.

**Eddie. Eddie wake up.**

His heart rate increased as he slowly awoke.

**Something is the matter with Thor. He is crying.**

He snapped to nearly full wakefulness, rolling onto his side. He touched the Asgardian's shoulder.

Thor froze.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Thor wiped at his face with one hand, sucking in a deep breath. “I am fine.”

**“No, you are not.”** Venom retorted, head emerging from Eddie’s back.

“Yes I am. Go back to sleep.”

“Seriously. What’s wrong? Did we do anything wrong?”

Thor chuckled wetly. “No. It is not you.”

“What is it then?” Eddie pressed.

“I… You’ll laugh. It is ridiculous.”

**“No. We will not. Talk to us.”** The symbiote reached a tendril forwards to brush against Thor’s cheek.

He rolled over to face them. “I don’t want to be king.” He gave them a hard stare, as if daring them to laugh.

“We don’t blame you, man. We wouldn’t want to be king either. Can’t you let someone else do it?” Eddie reached out to touch his shoulder comfortingly.

“There isn’t anyone else to lead. Odin named me as crown prince. I have my duty.”

"What about your brother? You mentioned you had a brother."

Thor winced. "Loki would dearly like to be king of Asgard. He once posed as our father for a time and ruled. He did not… do well as king. He is too much of a trickster, too decadent and vengeful. No. I am the only one. I must look after my people." He closed his eye and fresh tears rolled down his stubbly cheeks. "I can't even tell anyone my fears. I have to be strong for them. They have to see their king as wise and powerful or what hope will they have?"

Eddie drew Thor closer, letting him bury his face in his shoulder. Venom wrapped tentacles around both of them.

"I am scared. What if I am a disappointment? What if I can't rule properly? Asgard is so frail right now. There are only a few hundred of us left, all on one ship in the middle of space, slowly moving here. What if the governments of Midgard change their minds and bar us? What if we are beset by pirates? Or struck by an asteroid that makes it past the shields?

"We were so strong… But between Malekith and my sister, our armies were destroyed and now we are mostly the infirm, children or those who cannot fight. We are a shadow of what Asgard was. I am so scared."

Eddie and Venom didn't know what to say, so they didn't say anything at all. They just held Thor tightly until he fell asleep again.

Eddie awoke midmorning the next day to Venom urgently poking him and the smell of food. He sat up, looking around blearily.

**Thor had breakfast delivered! Hurry or it will get cold!**

"Yeah yeah, babe. Hold your horses."

He swung his feet over the edge of the bed, wincing slightly at the cold hardwood, then stretched, his spine crackling. He had a pleasant ache from last night.

"Eddie! Venom! Good morning!"

He turned to see Thor standing in the doorway, wearing a robe, hair still spiky from sleep.

"Morning." He smiled up at the Asgardian.

"I had them bring us breakfast. I know how much the host of a Klyntar has to eat."

"Holy shit, thank you." Eddie said gratefully as his stomach growled. He stood up, trying not to feel self conscious that he was naked since that would be ridiculous after the previous night. Goosebumps prickled across his skin.

**There is another robe on the back of the door.** Venom supplied helpfully, wisely staying inside Eddie where it was warm.

He put it on and followed Thor into the next room. Unlike his own rooms at the Avengers Compound, this one was a proper apartment. There was a small dining area and a table positively groaning under the weight of the food on it.

Eddie sat down, Thor pouring him a cup of coffee. Once again Thor managed to put away as much food as Eddie. There was bacon and sausage, scrambled eggs, toast, hashbrowns and muffins. Beside the coffee pot was a carafe of orange juice.

Eddie sighed happily, full. Thor grinned at him over the debris of breakfast, last cup of coffee held in one hand.

"Well, I should think about heading out…" Eddie said, slightly reluctantly. "I imagine Dr. Banner will want to talk at us again."

Thor nodded. "Probably. He always likes to be prompt when he gets excited about some scientific thing or another."

"Can I use your shower?" asked Eddie, putting his napkin on his plate.

"Only if can I join you?"

**Say yes Eddie!**

Feeling his ears warm slightly and failing to suppress a grin, he replied, "Of course I'll say yes."

The bathroom proved as luxurious as the rest of the apartment. The shower was spacious and had multiple shower heads, so no one would be standing cold in a corner. Thor started it and unselfconsciously shucked off his robe.

Eddie joined him.

They spent a few minutes soaping each other up and washing each other's backs, giving each other massages and pretending they didn't notice each other's growing hardness.

Eddie finally turned around after Thor scrubbed his back and kissed him, hands roaming lower. 

Eddie felt the tingling sensation that meant Venom was emerging. They turned to see the symbiote's floating head.

**"I would like to fuck his ass this morning. Would you like to use his mouth?"** Venom purred.

A wicked smile twitched across Thor's bearded face. "I would find that agreeable. Eddie?"

Eddie didn't answer for a moment. His brain had shorted out slightly and his cock had apparently  _ really _ liked that, going from semi-hard to standing fully erect in about one point three seconds. There had been a time when he would have argued that he wasn't  _ that _ submissive in the bedroom, but that was before a certain gooey black alien showed up in his life and proved constantly how much he liked being used.

**"Eddie?"**

"Uh, fuck yes. I would like that very much."

**"Gooood…" ** Venom rumbled in that way that really didn't help his brain work better.

More of the symbiote flowed out, webbing across his back and chest like a harness, one wrapping around his neck like a collar. A long tendril stretched out to Thor's hand. A leash.

Eddie breathed harder, wrapped up like a present. His cock was achingly hard, screaming for touch.

Thor used the leash to tug him close, tongue pressing between his lips, forcing his mouth open. His other hand swept up Eddie's wet skin, thumb teasing his nipple, then pinching it gently.

"Ohhh… fuck, harder…" Eddie moaned against Thor's mouth.

Thor pinched first it, then the other, hard, twisting and rolling the pink nubs between his fingertips. Eddie whimpered, shivering.

“You really do like pain, don’t you? Look at you. You are wrecked already.”

Using the leash again, he guided Eddie lower to his own cock, flushed dark pink. Eddie licked a long, teasing stripe up the bottom before sucking it into his mouth. Thor leaned against the tiled walls with a small moan, wrapping the leash several times around his fist.

Venom had been busy. They retracted the tentacle with the bottle of lube into the shower and slicked up Eddie's hole. They slid a thin tendril in, avoiding his prostate, opening him up. Only when they had swelled the tendril into a fair-sized cock did they allow it to brush that sensitive place. They began fucking him, swelling it wider as they went until his already sore hole was stretched tight and pink around their gleaming black cock.

Eddie broke away from Thor's own cock with a cry, shuddering.

"I am not done yet, Eddie." Thor commanded, yanking his plush mouth back over himself, using a strap across Eddie's back to hold him there more firmly.

**"Fuck his throat if you like. He doesn't need to breathe with me. He will fight you, but keep going. He likes it."**

"Does he?" Thor managed already sounding fucked out.

Eddie gave him a thumbs up before gripping Thor's hips and swallowing up the Asgardian's thick cock up to the base.

Thor growled, hips bucking. Both he and the symbiote began railing Eddie from both ends. All Eddie could do was hold on for the ride as he was spit-roasted, fingers digging desperately into Thor's hips and asscheeks.

His own cock bounced against his belly with every thrust, but there was no other stimulation for it. The chest strap of the harness abraded his nipples. He writhed and moaned, struggling for friction on his cock, to get away from the huge tentacle that threatened to split him open, to suck in a desperate breath away from the cock thrust down his throat, for more sensation or maybe less. He didn't know. He  _ loved _ feeling so out of control. Eddie's legs quivered and if Venom hadn't been holding him in place he would have collapsed, overcome by electric pleasure.

Thor's thrusts into his mouth gained a new kind of desperation as his balls drew up tight; Eddie drooled and made  _ filthy _ noises around Thor's thick cock. There was a spasm and a long groan from the blonde man and he was coming down Eddie's throat. He swallowed eagerly. Thor's hips gave a few more bruising twitches before he drew his cock out of Eddie's mouth.

Freed from the intrusion, Eddie cried out, still bent over, Venom squelching harder into his abused hole.

"Holy shit… Harder, V.”" he moaned.

**"Of course, sweet Eddie."**

Thor tugged Eddie upright and lifted one of his legs up, crushing him to his broad chest, holding him open and vulnerable to the symbiote's attentions. Eddie gripped Thor’s arms, feeling the iron strength in them.

“Oh, oh my god, that feels  _ amazing _ .”

Venom fucked deeply into him. Eddie sobbed and shook, holding on for dear life against the waves of almost too strong pleasure.

"You are taking it so well, Eddie. You are such an eager  _ whore _ for us..." 

"Yes! Yes, I'm your whore!" Eddie cried. "P-please use me… I… I just  _ need _ to come…"

**"Then come for us, Eddie."** That was it… He tipped over the edge...

Eddie screamed and came untouched all over Thor's stomach and chest. Venom shuddered and twitched, but held it together and fucked him through it, milking every drop of cum out of him with thrusts directly into his prostate.

They finally let Eddie slump to the shower floor on his hands and knees. He shuddered and panted, gaping asshole twitching from aftershocks.

**"Eddie. Eddie, you made ssuchh a messs on Thor's stomach. Bad Eddie. Clean it up."** Venom slurred, drunk on orgasms.

Thor gave the leash a yank, bringing the other man up to his belly.

Eddie began licking his own cum off Thor, pink tongue flicking. He moaned. His hands came up and gripped the curve of the blonde man's ass.

"Good, good Eddie. Keep going."

He cleaned the mess up, going over Thor's flat stomach maybe more than necessary before pressing a kiss to the spot right below his navel.

Thor released the leash and it, along with the collar and harness melted into his skin. He stopped and picked the fucked out Eddie up, letting him lean against him while he held his back under the warm spray, letting him gather his senses together again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week, we get back to plot and then it won't be too long before this will get wrapped up.   
I'm possibly around halfway through the sequel? I'll have some time off around the holidays so I'll (hopefully) get more writing done than I normally do, but I can't see getting it done before the new year. Re-writing it took AGES, but I'm glad I did since I think it'll work better.  
Thank you again for the comments!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, some plot again! ;P   
Thank you so much to all the commenters! You are magical.

Chapter 10

Eddie slouched back in his chair. Banner had called him away from Thor shortly after they'd gotten out of the shower. He had been hoping for a nice cuddle to enjoy the afterglow and maybe another round afterwards, but alas. Now he was waiting for Banner to come back with their results.

He finally bustled into the room, clutching a tablet.

"Sorry about the wait…" he said. "Got a lot to do before Thor has Heimdall zap us back to the ship."

"Thor's going back soon?" Eddie asked, looking up sharply.

"Yeah. We’re leaving later today. We were only here for a bit over a week. We got here a couple days before you. Thor can't be away too long. His brother is a complete lunatic and is probably hatching nine different schemes to take over the ship right now."

**We knew it was only for a short time, Eddie.** Venom said.  **Was fun though.**

His lips tightened and he rubbed his chest.

"... Anyways, so we've figured out your metabolism runs about two hundred to two hundred and fifty percent higher than an average male of your age."

Eddie shrugged. "I mean, I figured that I have to eat about twice what I did before I bonded with V, so…" He shrugged again.

"Uh, so you do have the ability, obviously, to increase it even more, though that is extremely hard on your body…" Banner talked on about the various things he had learned about Eddie and Venom.

Eddie zoned out; Venom would find this more interesting than he did. His other would remember the important parts. Banner was just very excited about everything and didn't seem to notice that Eddie's eyes had glazed over.

Thor was leaving! He knew deep down that of course that would happen. He knew that he didn't actually want to be poly or whatever; just keeping Venom happy was enough work and he didn't think he could juggle another partner. But Thor had been nice to him. He'd been the friendliest of anyone at this place. He was the closest thing to a friend Eddie had here and now he was leaving.

The sex had been great too, but he'd miss his kind personality and okay, staring at the way his muscles moved under his skin. Eddie felt like he'd lost an ally as quickly as he had gained one in this strange new world of heroes he'd fallen into.

Banner finished talking and Venom prodded Eddie up, giving him enough of a nudge to walk him out the door.

"Anything interesting, babe?" he asked, cutting across the neat lawn. It was aggressively nice again. He felt it should be overcast to match his mood.

**Oh yes, Eddie. Learned a great deal about ** ** _how_ ** ** I work. Will explain some of it much more clearly than Banner another day.**

He ended up going to the gym, but only picked up one weight before he realized he didn't feel like it. Eddie was in a sour mood. He missed San Francisco with its mists and sun, the glitter and grime all in a contrasting puzzle. He missed Anne and Dan. They should be back from their vacation by now, but he didn't have his phone with him. It was still in San Francisco too and he didn't have their numbers memorized. They'd be worried about him. He wondered if he would still have a job when he got back. Hopefully, this Sokovia Accord bullshit would be done now and they would fly him home. He felt too out of place in this polished tech bro's wet dream.

Venom swirled restlessly up and down Eddie's spine. They could taste his bad mood. It was bitter and acrid. They could guess the sources of their host's unhappiness. Obviously Thor, but Eddie didn't like it here either. They liked all the food and the time to fuck as much as they both wanted, but they understood the reason sweet Eddie wanted to go home. He felt he was failing Venom somehow. That he wasn't good enough with their small, drafty apartment.

Venom decided they would have to show Eddie how much they didn't care where they lived, as long as it was with  _ him _ . Shiny rooms here or shabby ones in San Francisco, Venom didn't care. Eddie was more than they ever could have hoped for in a host. He had taught them so much about love and being a partner. Had introduced them to so many  _ wonderful _ things. 

They tried to soothe Eddie, wrapping around his hands, twining through his organs like a loving cat. They noticed he'd wandered around the grounds a couple times now, so they spoke up.

**Eddie? Would you like to find Thor? Tell him goodbye?**

He let out a breath explosively. "Yeah. I'd like that."

**Let's go back to Banner. If they are leaving together, he can tell you where Thor would be.**

"Good idea, babe."

They went back over to the medical wing, heading to where Banner had an office. Eddie padded down the hall when Venom took over his muscles, locking him in place. Even locking his jaw muscles so he couldn't talk.

**Wait. I hear something.** They let a little of themself out on Eddie's head. Just enough to give him their level of hearing. 

Banner was on the phone with someone saying, "-it's amazing what the symbiote is capable of. I can see why the Life Foundation tried so hard to get Venom back… They are remarkable… Yeah… I know…" 

Banner was silent, listening to someone else on the other end.

Eddie had a sick feeling growing in the pit of his stomach.

"... The possibilities are incredible. The healing abilities alone, not to mention everything else… No… No… There is no way they would agree to that… That would require separating them… They- Uh huh… Yeah... I understand… Well, as soon as possible, I guess…"

Venom had heard enough. They rippled out over Eddie with a guttural snarl.

"Oh shhhitt…" Banner hissed, dropping the phone with a clatter. He rushed out into the hallway, skidding a little on the floor to see Venom galloping away down the hall. "Wait! It's not what it sounded like!" he yelled.

**"LIAR!"** roared the symbiote, ripping the door off the frame. They threw themselves down the stairs, narrowly missing an intern, avoiding plowing into him at the last second by swinging a tentacle up and catching the railing. They smashed through the doors with a howl, tongue twisting wildly. 

People turned to stare, then seeing the source of the noise, they ran, some towards Venom, some away. 

The symbiote tore off across the grounds. They didn't know what way was out, but eventually they would  _ have _ to reach a fence. A few gunshots plowed into the ground around them, a few striking harmlessly. They paid no mind.

The roar of a jeep came up behind and past them, careening to a halt in front of Venom. It was packed with SHIELD agents, wielding more guns.

Venom didn't stop, shrugging off the impacts. They seized the jeep and tossed it out of the way, humans tumbling out.

There was more noise and commotion behind them, but they kept galloping on. They could go for miles. Surely they could outrun anything the SHIELD traitors were scrambling, at least long enough to hide.

There was a sound like a jet engine behind them and a noise like ' _ Pweeeeee… _ ' that Eddie instantly recognized.

_ V, wait, hold on! _

A voice, mechanically enhanced, shouted, "Looks like I got back right in time. Say goodbye, you  _ freak _ ."

Eddie wrested just enough control away from Venom to turn their head to see a horribly familiar red and gold figure, balanced on a point of fire.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping I do okay with all the other Marvel characters. It's my first time writing them.

Chapter 11

Venom dodged and ducked, feinted and leaped, frantically avoiding the repulsor blasts from Iron Man. They were in as close a symbiosis as possible and still were barely able to keep clear of the super hero. Their claws dug deep gouges into the manicured lawn. Craters exploded right and left, showering them with dirt. The smell of ozone and pulverized grass reminded Eddie of summer thunderstorms.

They switched direction again and realized Iron Man was herding them away from the shelter of the surrounding forest and back towards the buildings where SHIELD forces were massing.

Venom snarled, yanking themselves away from yet another shot.

**Eddie! Can't run forever!**

_ I know, babe!  _

By now SHIELD would no doubt have collected their sonic weapons. They would stand no chance against them.

_ I have an idea, V! We gotta get past them and into the buildings. Stark can't fly inside and we'll stand a chance there. If we find him, Thor will protect us! _

**Don't need protection.** Venom snarled.  **Need to ** ** _kill_ ** **.**

But they feinted again, swinging out a tentacle and launching themselves forward with shocking speed. The SHIELD agents fired their sonic weapons, making Venom shiver in pain, but in the outdoors against a moving target, the efficacy was low. Once closer to the structures, they had a way better chance. Venom swung around a corner, building momentum up, aiming to smash through one of the thick panes with all of their substantial weight.

Venom braced, ready for the impact, when something plowed into them like a truck. They went tumbling until they were able to snag a bush and slide to a stop.

"Yikes! You look like an edgy nineties goth version of me!" someone quipped.

Eddie's first thought was that Iron Man had hit them with a blast, but they were still in one piece, shaken, but unharmed. Then they saw a red and blue streak come barreling towards them again, swinging like Venom could, only more graceful.

**"Spider-Man?!"** they yelped. Black tentacles shot out, batting the tiny hero away. He twisted elegantly, regaining control.

"The one and only! Hey, can I sue you for stealing my look?"

_ Get inside get inside get inside! We can't fight two! _

While they probably could, Eddie  _ really _ didn't want to escalate any further since someone would definitely die. The symbiote's rage still churned and threatened to swamp Eddie. Their synchronization broke for just a moment, but it was enough that Spider-Man could get inside their guard, a powerful punch landing on their jaw. Teeth clicked shut on Venom's exquisitely sensitive tongue as they flew back.

Eddie and Venom  _ screamed _ together in agony, just as Iron Man cleared the roof of the building. A repulsor blast ripped through the symbiote on their back, drawing another howl of agony.

Venom ripped up another bush, hurling it at Iron Man, turning the spin into a glancing blow that also knocked Spider-Man back a couple feet.

"Hey!" Spider-Man said, stumbling back, holding up his hands in front of him. Webbing sprayed out, all over their face, sticking their hands to their chest. "Maybe this'll slow you down!"

Venom's muscles bulged as they ripped the webbing away. It didn't stick very well to their gleaming black hide.

"Mr. Stark! We have a problem!"

Venom shot out a tentacle and launched themselves into the air again, only to find that their leap was brought short by another strand of webbing. This time electricity pulsed through it in a way that would have brought a human to their knees.

**"Tingles!"** Venom said, ripping it away.  **“Leave us alone!”**

“Hey crazy-pants, I only see one of you. Who're you talking to? There better not be another one of you running around.”

Venom and Spider-Man circled each other, eyeing each other, looking for an opening.

"P-... Spider-Man, get out of the way! I'm going to take him down!" Iron Man yelled.

"I can do this, sir!" The red and blue hero shouted back.

Venom saw their moment of opportunity and lunged, wrapping up Spider-Man in a bear hug.

**"Back off, Stark!"** they roared.  **"You sound much too young for the heroing business, spiderling."** they added, quieter.

_ He's just a kid… We can't hurt him. We gotta de-escalate and get out of here... _

The youth growled and struggled. Venom's eyes went wide. He was  _ much _ stronger than he looked.

"Let me go!"

**"Stop struggling! Won't hurt you! Stark won't attack us if we have you."**

Venom staggered back as Spider-Man flailed in their grasp. They just had to get inside and then the circling Iron Man would be grounded if he wanted to follow.

**"Just going to get us inside, nice and safe."**

"And then what?! You'll kill me?!"

**"Stop being dramatic, spiderling. Just want to get away from Stark and then leave here."** Venom replied reasonably. They pulled open a door with a tentacle from their back and slipped inside. Emergency lights were flashing and an alarm was going off. Luckily, it was just annoying.

"I can't let you escape! You got out of somewhere and I'm going to put you back before you hurt someone!"

Within Venom, Eddie growled.  _ We don't have time to explain this to a kid. What the hell is he even doing here?! _

Spider-Man had slowed his struggles somewhat, but suddenly yanked an arm free, catching them off guard. He shot out a strand of webbing and reefed on it, popping free of Venom's grasp. As they tried to snatch him back, a claw raked down his side. He kicked off the wall, somersaulted and drove both feet into Venom's stomach, sending them flying back out the door in a spray of glass to land in a flower bed.

They tumbled to a halt, dazed.

_ That fucking kid hits like a dump truck… _ Eddie groaned.

They rolled over onto their belly only to see a pair of shiny scarlet boots and to hear that horrible  _ pweeeee… _ noise again.

**"Fuck."** breathed the symbiote.

Standing behind Iron Man was Spider-Man, clutching his flank where blood trickled down, bright as his suit.

"I have no idea where you came from, but you must not be all that bright to attack this place." came Stark's mechanized voice. He sounded as arrogant and irritating as he did on the news.

**"Wait! Didn't mean to hurt the spiderling. Didn't want to hurt anyone!"** Venom rumbled, moving their arms out to the side.  **"See? We are surrendering."** Tendrils began worming under the mulch they lay on towards Stark's boots.

"Didn't mean to hurt anyone?! Look what you did to P-, shit, -Spider-Man! Do you expect me to believe you aren't dangerous, looking like that?!" Stark spat.

**"We are surrendering."** Venom repeated.  **"We were only running because we were afraid, were ** ** _betrayed_ ** ** by Banner."**

The tendrils slowly began wrapping around the glossy metal boots, working their way inside through chinks in the armor.

Iron Man seemed to be winding up to keep yelling at Venom, when the hulking symbiote suddenly yanked back, dropping him like a rock, flat on his back with a clank.

They surged forward, wrapping a huge fist around Iron Man's neck and contracting.

"Friday! What's going on?!" he yelled and apparently didn't like the answer. 

**"Make one more move and we tear his head off!"** Venom snarled to Spider-Man and the SHIELD agents that were closing in. Cox was standing amongst them, face like a thundercloud.  **"That goes for you too, Stark. Bet we can rip your armor to pieces."**

"What the fuck did you do my armor?"

They shrugged their broad shoulders.  **"Disconnected ** ** _something_ ** ** important. Don't know what, don't care."**

They were at a stalemate, tension crackling in the air. Or was it…?

Ozone laced the spring air, sizzling through more peaceful scents. The crowd of SHIELD agents parted before Thor, lightning crackling over his skin, earthing itself around him.

**"Thor!"** they cried in relief.  **"Help us!"**

"What the hell is going on here?" he boomed, fists clenched. "Why are you attacking Stark?"

**"He started it."**

"Everyone, stand down!" Thor shouted.

"You don't give orders here, Point Break."

"Shut up, Stark. I'm not the one pinned down by my friend here."

The SHIELD agents reluctantly raised their weapons. Spider-Man backed away a few more feet, though that didn't really mean much given his webbing and shocking speed. They appreciated the symbolic gesture though.

Venom released Stark and pushed themselves upright, still crouched to spring if they needed to.

"So what the hell is going on here? I get ready to go back to my people and now I have a brawl between my friends?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another cliff hanger! Oh, what a scamp I am.  
I'm off to avoid most of my family for the holidays. I'm taking the train to Jasper with my partner, my mum and her man so that will be fun.  
I've got a couple weeks off until I go back to work, so I'm hoping to get lots of writing done.  
I hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday season with a minimum of family drama, feuds or bloodshed and a maximum of relaxation, soft cuddles and peace.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ermagerd! It's a holiday miracle!  
Now let's have everyone sit down and discuss things like adults. No one may have overreacted, nope.

Chapter 12

Eddie sat nervously at one end of a long board room table, fidgeting with their claws. He remained wrapped up in his other, except for his head. Venom's own head was reared up behind him like an angry cobra.

Stark was still in his own armor, minus the helmet, glaring daggers down the polished mahogany. Eddie was secretly pleased that the billionaire had helmet hair.

Venom wasn't about to leave Eddie unprotected and Stark refused to be without his full suite of weapons in a room with a hostile alien.

Spider-Man was nowhere to be seen, having been banished to the hospital to get the accidental claw marks bandaged.

Dr. Banner was near Stark's end of the table, rubbing his hands together nervously and trying some sort of breathing exercise.

Thor stood in the centre, tiny lightnings occasionally sparking off his hands and hair. He looked magnificent.

That was it in the room. A couple of the SHIELD higher ups had wanted to be there, including Cox, but had rank pulled on them. Because of Venom, Eddie could sense them lurking just outside the door.

"So what happened today?" Thor asked finally.

Stark started in, "I just got back with the kid, from the tech conference and saw a goddamned alien attacking  _ my _ fucking compound!"

Eyes flicked to the enraged Stark and then back to Thor.

Eddie’s mouthed twisted in a sneer, “Attacking? We were running away!  _ You _ were the one that attacked  _ first! _ Fuckin’ psychopath!”

“_You_ _threw a car filled with SHIELD agents!_”

Eddie half stood, leaning over the table, giant hands planted, “They shot at  **us first!”** he spat, Venom’s harmonics creeping in.

Thor sighed and rubbed his face. “This is as bad as dealing with my brother…” he muttered. “Friends! Can we start over?”

Eddie sat back down, crossing his arms.

Stark remained standing, hands clenched in fists at his sides.

“I have to leave soon to get back to my people and I have no wish for  _ another _ huge fight to start between my friends, so can everyone try and tell their own sides of the story in a civil manner? Yes? Good. Eddie and Venom, you start.”

“Yeah, so we were going back to Dr. Banner to ask him where you were because we found out you were leaving today and wanted to say goodbye. Then V overheard him talking to someone about us. Whoever it was, it sounded like they were going to try and lock us up or separate us, so we panicked and fled.  _ No one _ is going to separate us.” 

Venom’s head wove back and forth as Eddie spoke, narrowed opalescent eyes fixed on Banner and Stark. Their tongue curled and flickered between their teeth.

**“You betrayed us, Banner. Thought we could trust you. You are just like other scientists. All you want to do to us is poke and prod and cut and take me away from my sweet Eddie.”**

“I… I wasn’t!” Bruce Banner protested. “You misheard the conversation! The person I was talking to wanted me to do more invasive tests and I was trying to explain that you would never agree to it! If you two hadn’t lost your bloody minds, this wouldn’t have happened!” 

Eddie barrelled on, “How are we supposed to believe you? As soon as we tried to leave, SHIELD assholes started pouring out of the fucking woodwork, ready to take us down!”

“Yeah! That’s because you were ripping doors off hinges and screaming! Do you know what you look like when you are-” He gestured at them wildly, “You look dangerous!”

**“We are dangerous.”** Venom said smugly.

“All we wanted to do was hop the fucking fence and find our own way back home!” Eddie countered. “Everyone else started attacking  _ first. _ ”

Stark snapped, “You freaks nearly killed those SHIELD agents and you were running around  _ my _ property! What were you even doing here?!”

Banner sucked in a few deep breaths, eyes screwed shut.

Thor hurried over and began rubbing his back, muttering, "...sun's getting real low…"

"Would you stop that!" Banner snapped, flailing his arms. "I'm not going to transform!"

"Hey!" Stark said loudly. "I still don't know why an alien I don't know about was invited here! And I'm beginning to suspect that you're avoiding telling me!"

Eddie snorted. "Great organization you've got here. Here we thought it was some monolithic, insidious thing and it turns out you don't even know what's going on. I'm gonna have a field day writing articles about this."

Banner turned to Stark and said, "SHIELD discovered him and the symbiote and was working with them. They got hurt and were brought here for medical care since there wasn't anywhere else to go. I'll send you the full report. Everyone decided it would be best to get them incorporated into the system before we told you since you, um, have a tendency to overreact around, um, extraterrestrials." He winced.

Stark began pacing. "Great! Just fucking great! Is this related to the surveillance outages when I go out of town?"

Guilty silence hung in the air like a bad smell.

Stark growled, shoved his helmet back on and stormed out of the room, clanking and whirring as he went.

"He did attack first." Eddie said finally. "Him and the kid, but I think the kid was just following his lead."

"But you may have overreacted first?" Thor replied.

Eddie stared mulishly for a moment before averting his eyes and muttering, "... Maybe. Okay, yeah. We overreacted. You can't blame us though… V was tortured for months in a lab. We're connected and when V is scared, it bleeds over to me. We're terrified that, that it'll happen again."

Banner said, "I would never, ever do that to anyone. People have tried to do that to me too. I’m sorry I ever made you think that."

**“We’re sorry we overreacted. I believe you, Banner.”**

"It's just that SHIELD doesn't exactly have the best reputation for that sort of thing and the way we were pulled into all this doesn't exactly mean we completely trust everyone."

Banner rubbed his face, slouching back further. Thor decided to sit down since he was now the only one standing and it seemed rude.

"I know, but Tony will come around. Something else will distract him and then he'll get over himself. Mostly. He's probably never going to be all that friendly to you two, but he won't try and kill you."

"Wow. That's super reassuring." Eddie muttered.

"He'll be reading up on your file right now. Just give him time. He's not so bad." Banner explained.

Eddie raised his brows, stroking Venom's hovering head under the chin. "Yeah, you're not gonna be able to convince us that Tony Stark is some bastion of good."

"Maybe it'll be best to get you back to San Francisco sooner rather than later then?"

**"We would like that very much."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are the greatest gift of all. 😊


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to try and see if I could set this to auto update tomorrow, but it can't so I'm just going to drop this now because I've done all the work.

Chapter 13

That evening, Eddie and Venom had their bags of stranger's clothing packed up. They had said their goodbyes to Thor and Bruce Banner before they were teleported away in a shaft of rainbow light that was blinding in the twilight, leaving only a charred circle of grass behind.

Banner had given him a large pill bottle filled with gel caps. He had explained that they should take one pill per day and that would take care of the phenethylamine cravings. Eddie and Venom had traded looks. While they couldn't read each other's minds, they still knew each other well enough to have a good idea of what they were thinking. Until they could get the pills tested by Dr. Dan or someone, there was no way they'd take them. They didn’t trust SHIELD. There was also no way they would stop hunting. 

Venom craved the hunt for the experience as much as for the kill. They were not some domesticated creature. Venom  _ needed _ to hunt and a bottle of pills wasn’t going to erase that need. So Eddie smiled and nodded, accepting the bottle of pills while Banner explained how a new bottle would be sent to them every three months.

They were just getting ready to board the plane when Venom prodded Eddie’s ribs from the inside.

**Behind us.**

Eddie turned to see Tony Stark walking towards them, dressed carelessly in a band t-shirt, jeans and a surprisingly worn black zip hoodie. His hair was combed neatly now and he had a pair of tinted glasses on that would be hideous on anyone else.

Eddie and Venom tensed warily, dropping their bag on the grass nonchalantly, wanting their hands free if they needed them.

Stark stopped a little further away than was normally polite. His mouth twitched as he hesitated.

“What is it, Stark?”

He breathed out sharply and said quickly, like it was physically hurting him, “I’m sorry I attacked you.”

Eddie goggled. “... What?”

“You heard me.”

Eddie blinked. “Holy shit. Tony Stark is sorry for something?”

“Don’t make me regret doing this,  _ Brock _ . Thor and Bruce came to me afterwards and we had a talk. They told me what your squishy friend had gone through in more detail. We’ve all gone through our shit to get where we are now, y’know? Everyone here has their own trauma.”

**“We accept your apology.”** Venom said solemnly, opalescent eyes bright in the fading light.  **"We are sorry we hurt the spiderling. It was not our intention. Just an accident."**

"How is the kid, by the way?" Eddie asked.

Stark looked slightly evasive. "He's not a kid."

"C'mon. We're not dumb. He's sounds about twelve."

"He'll be fine. He heals fast. One of the side effects of his powers. The kid probably won't even scar."

Eddie nodded. "Good. Hopefully we can meet again under better circumstances. I think we scared the shit out of him and I don't want him to think we're bad."

"Well, I can't blame P-dammit- _ Him  _ if he's a bit biased now. You took him hostage. That kind of thing leads you to certain conclusions."

**“We should all jump to conclusions less, perhaps.”**

"Yeah, probably. Hey so, I've looked over how SHIELD has treated you and it's maybe not fair either. I've given Cox a warning."

Eddie's eyebrows climbed towards his hairline. "How did that go? He's a humongous asshole."

Stark smirked. "He told me that I'm not his superior, so I had to remind him that SHIELD is here because I'm allowing it. I think that in the future, they'll be a little more careful how they acquire new people."

**"We could always eat him for you, if he continues to be troublesome."**

Stark made a face, clearly uncomfortable around the alien.

Venom grinned, showing their bristling teeth a bit more than necessary.  **“We won’t hurt you. We only hurt bad guys.”**

“Yeah, I read your file. I know exactly what you do. Just remember, I’m watching you. If you start going after people who don’t deserve it, I also read the Life Foundation’s files on symbiotes and I know how to take you down.”

Eddie’s mouth twisted into what could be a smile. “And I’ve done research on you, Stark. You start getting more ideas about wanting to privatize defense again or if you start getting  _ too _ megalomaniacal, we’ll be there too. V can figure out pretty fast how to disable your suits.”

Stark  _ did _ smile at that, a genuine one. “I can respect that.”

Eddie held out a hand for Iron Man to shake. It was laced in black. He hesitated only briefly before reaching out and giving a firm shake.

The plane they took back across the country wasn’t as high tech as the first one they took, Venom explained. This one was ‘merely’ a private jet. The flight was uneventful. Venom grumbled about the dearth of chocolate in the snacks that were supplied. SHIELD landed at a private airfield in Half Moon Bay and from there they transferred into a town car driven by yet another SHIELD agent. At this point Eddie was getting exhausted from travelling so much. He wanted nothing more than to fall asleep in the back, but didn’t quite trust this new agent. If it was Ferguson he probably would have since it would have annoyed her.

This new agent was in his twenties and was almost entirely unmemorable. Bland didn’t even begin to describe him.They rode in silence for about half an hour before Eddie spoke up. “So what kind of life are we going back to? Ferguson told us our apartment would be looked after, but what about my job? My contacts? My friends? We’ve been away for what, more than a month?”

The agent replied, never taking his eyes off the road, “Your additional absence outside of the expected two weeks was explained as a result of unexpected illness. Your employer and all other individuals that have close contact with you were told you suffered from a rare meningitis and had to be taken away to a specialist in New York where you spent several days in a coma before making a full recovery.”

Eddie stared, dumbstruck for a moment while the miles hissed away outside the windows. “Are you fucking shitting me? That’s the best goddamned explanation you people could come up with? I work with  _ journalists _ . They’ll have sniffed that out as a lie the moment you started flapping your mouths.” He threw his hands up in the air. “One of my close friends is a  _ doctor _ .”

“My superiors felt it was an ample explanation.”

“Your superiors can go suck an egg. Cox can eat my entire ass. Is this his revenge on us for being told off?!” Eddie snapped. “How the fuck am I supposed to have afforded a fancy specialist from across the country? How did I make a full fucking recovery in a couple days after being in a coma? Everyone knew I was getting involved in some important shit before you SHIELD assholes started in.”

“Everyone we spoke to seemed concerned but not suspicious. They accepted the story.” the agent said meekly, clutching the steering wheel with white knuckled desperation as he was ranted at.

Eddie snorted. “Yeah? You think the people I know would listen to a story coming from a suited mannequin like you and not immediately have alarm bells going off? We just fucking got people to stop looking suspiciously at me after the whole Life Foundation garbage!” He threw himself back against the seat in a huff.

Venom had been quiet, letting Eddie vent his spleen, but at Life Foundation they rippled in distaste. Eddie rubbed his chest.

“SHIELD has given you ample financial compensation. We hope that we can work together in the future, once you have calmed down.”

Eddie flipped him off.

He made the driver let him out a few blocks away from their apartment. The last thing he wanted was another shiny government looking car stopping outside his home now. He immediately left all the Daniel Veleno clothing draped over a newspaper box. He never wanted to see it again and hopefully someone who needed new clothing could use it. He stalked down the streets, breathing in the cool, humid San Francisco air, laced with the delicious scent of cooking food from the myriad of restaurants, the reek of piss and the briny tang of the ocean under it all.

The first stop on the way home was at Mrs. Chen’s bodega.

She looked up from the shelf she was organizing, irritated expression melting into relief and then back under her normal customer service mask. “Eddie!” she cried. “Where have you been?”

He shrugged. “Long story, Mrs. C. It’s good to be back again.” He walked around the shelves, grabbing a carton of milk, a couple bags of tater tots, some sandwiches and a bunch of bananas. Venom snaked out a tendril and pressed two chocolate bars into his over-full arms. He dumped everything back out onto the counter.

“How is, uh, your friend?” the older woman asked delicately.

“They’re doing well.” he replied with a smile. He paid for the food.

“Strange men in suits and sunglasses were in here a couple weeks ago asking about you. I pretended I didn’t know anything. You be careful, eh?”

“Don’t pay them any mind. We’re always careful.”

She snorted indelicately, rolling her eyes. “Don’t be a stranger, Eddie!” Mrs. Chen said as he scooped everything up and shoved it into his now nearly empty duffel bag.

“We won’t!”

The door chimed cheerfully as they left.

Eddie climbed the stairs to their apartment, recognizing every dent and ding in the walls. He'd put a few there in the bad old days. It still smelled the same; too many people's food, mildew and pot courtesy of his shitty neighbor. Venom pulled his keys out of his pocket and deftly unlocked the door.

"Thanks." Eddie murmured.

Venom fluttered about his heart.

The apartment smelled stale, with a hint of rot from his garbage and from the fuzzy greenish blob that used to be an orange on the counter. He put his groceries on the table, noting his laptop and everything else SHIELD hadn't brought to the Avengers Compound had been placed neatly on the kitchen table. His mouth twisted. He was definitely going to be wiping his computer and phone later. Not to mention sweeping the place for bugs, if he could even find these ones.

"Well, I hope that whoever bugged the place doesn't mind watching you absolutely plow me on a regular basis." Eddie said loudly, casting his gaze around like he could see the tell-tale blinking red light of a camera.

**We could give them a show.** Venom purred deliciously.  **Hope no one is sensitive.**

Eddie smiled thinly. "Serves them right. If they don't want an eyeful, then they shouldn't have bugged our place."

He pulled out a garbage bag and started cleaning the rotten food out of the fridge, piling it by the door. He opened the windows to let in cold, fresh air. Together, he and his other puttered around a bit. Eddie didn't keep the place sparkling, but he felt it needed some attention to make it feel more like home again. He found where they had stashed his bracelets. They’d been left on the chair that served as his bedside table. Underneath the tangle of beads and paracord was a phone. It was thin as a razor, sleek and expensive. Stuck to the top was a post-it note with a black, stylized hourglass drawn on it. Eddie turned it on and scrolled through the short contact list, giving them a brief look over. Then he shut it down, popped the battery off and stuck the pieces in the bottom of his sock drawer. He went back over to the pile of bracelets and put them back on, enjoying their familiar weight and click.

Finally, Eddie had one last thing to do. He plugged in his own phone, switched it on and called Anne and Dan to let them know how he was doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is it! I hope you liked this less plotty bridge to the next, much more plot-heavy sequel. I'm still banging out words on that one and I'm not quite sure when it'll be done, but for sure before Venom 2 is released. :P  
I don't have any other big fics planned after the sequel, but I might write a couple fluffy/smutty one-shots if I need to scratch that itch. If anyone has some neat prompts, let me know and if they catch my interest, I might write them.  
I can't wait to see what they'll do with the next movie and the new wave of ideas.  
Thank you to all my readers; I love each comment and I make sure to let my cats for each one.


End file.
